An exercise intervention aimed at elderly women was successful at reducing falls, especially among those with polypharmacy, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital shows. The results were published in Scientific Reports.

The researchers also found that polypharmacy was associated with poorer results in functional tests measuring physical fitness. Polypharmacy was defined as the regular use of four or more medications.

Our findings suggest that, in order to enhance fall prevention in the elderly population, efforts to increase physical activity should be targeted specifically at those using multiple medications.”

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Anna-Erika Tamminen, Researcher, Kuopio Musculoskeletal Research Unit, University of Eastern Finland

According to Research Director Toni Rikkonen, the effectiveness of the exercise intervention was, as expected, largely dependent on the initial fitness level: “Those with the poorest physical fitness initially benefitted the most.”

The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the Kuopio Fall Prevention Study data. The randomized controlled trial included 914 women, with the median age being 76.5 years at the onset of the study. Half of the women were randomized into an exercise intervention group and half into a control group. All participants underwent fitness tests at the beginning of the study, and again one and two years later. Medication use was assessed with a baseline questionnaire, and participants were divided into six groups based on the number of medications used. Falls were monitored for about two years through biweekly SMS queries sent to participants.

The exercise intervention included guided exercise sessions twice a week for the first six months, with tai chi on one day and circuit training on the other. For the following six months, participants had free access to the city’s recreational sports facilities.

During the follow-up, 1,380 falls were reported, of which 739 resulted in an injury and pain, and 63 in a fracture. The lowest risk of fall was among women with polypharmacy who participated in the exercise intervention. Their risk was 29% lower than that of the control group using zero to one medications and not participating in the intervention.

Previous studies have associated polypharmacy with an increased the risk of fall; however, in this study, polypharmacy did not affect the number of falls in the control group. Furthermore, no association was observed between the number of medications used and the number of fractures. Fitness test results were best among those who used zero to one medications both in the control and intervention groups, and poorest among those using multiple medications throughout the follow-up.

A new study from Tel Aviv University used AI tools for the first time to discover what motivates people to exercise and which strategies are most effective for maintaining physical fitness.

The researchers used tools of artificial intelligence and machine learning to scan thousands of posts on the Reddit social network. They found that 23.9% of the users who engage in sports do so to improve their appearance, 18.9% exercise to maintain their physical health, and 16.9% exercise to maintain their mental health. The study was led by a team of researchers from TAU’s School of Public Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences: Dr. Michal Shmueli-Scheuer, Yedidya Silverman, Prof. Israel Halperin, and Prof. Yftach Gepner. The paper is published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Prof. Gepner explains, “Researchers in our field usually rely on cumbersome old-school questionnaires, containing inherent biases, to understand why people engage in sports and what strategies help them adhere to physical activity. It’s an astonishing phenomenon: science tells us that if we put just over two hours a week into physical activity, we can prevent 30% of diseases, improve our quality of life, and extend our lifespan; and yet, less than a quarter of the population actually does this. Why? What have we failed to see?

“While we all wish our loved one good health on their birthday, a wish of ‘good workouts’ is quite rare… But there is a way to be healthy—by exercising. That’s why it’s crucial to understand what really motivates people to engage in physical activity and what helps them stick with it.”

Prof. Gepner adds, “Our findings are not based on self-reporting, a representative sample, a questionnaire, or a survey. This is, in plain terms, the real reason why people exercise. And the answer is that people mainly exercise to look good. In questionnaires, people claim they want to be healthy, but in reality, they want six-pack abs. These findings are important because they teach us how to address the public, how to persuade people to get off the couch, promote health, and prevent disease.”

Beyond the question of motivation, the researchers also sought to identify strategies that induce people to engage in physical activity. According to the Reddit posts, 30% rely on workout habits (e.g. morning/evening, every Saturday morning), 13.9% set goals (such as losing weight or running 5 km), 12.1% enjoy the activity itself, 9.7% enjoy socializing during workouts, 8.9% use media (such as YouTube workout videos), 2.8% use fitness apps, and 2.5% have made a financial commitment to adhere to physical activity.

“The results are quite significant,” explains Prof. Gepner. “One strategy is more successful and therefore more recommended than others—creating exercise habits. If you want to be healthier, you need to develop healthy habits, period. Instead of a morning cigarette, drink two glasses of water and go out for a run. 30% is an empirical statistic that is hard to argue with, so as the Head of the Department of Health Promotion, I can confidently say to the public: develop habits and be healthy.”

This essay is part of our Men’s Health at 30 collection, an exploration of how the wellness landscape has transformed for British men since 1995 – and where there’s work yet to be done.

Here, coach and Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey celebrates the evolution of ‘training’ as a lifestyle.