Metabolic effects of a 13-weeks lifestyle intervention in older adults: The Growing Old Together Study

For people in their 40s and 50s, lifestyle programs have been shown to improve metabolic health. For older adults, however, it is not clear whether these programs are equally healthy. In the Growing Old Together study, we applied a 13-weeks lifestyle program, with a target of 12.5% caloric restriction and 12.5% increase in energy expenditure through an increase in physical activity, in 164 older adults (mean age=63.2 years; BMI=23-35 kg/m²). Mean weight loss was 4.2% (SE=2.8%) of baseline weight, which is comparable to a previous study in younger adults. Fasting insulin levels, however, showed a much smaller decrease (0.30 mU/L (SE=3.21)) and a more heterogeneous response (range=2.0-29.6 mU/L). Many other parameters of metabolic health, such as blood pressure, and thyroid, glucose and lipid metabolism improved significantly. Many ¹H-NMR metabolites changed in a direction previously associated with a low risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and partially independently of weight loss. In conclusion, 25% reduction in energy balance for 13 weeks induced a metabolic health benefit in older adults, monitored by traditional and novel metabolic markers.