Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines Through Community-Based Group Exercise: “Better Bones and Balance”

OBJECTIVE: Community-based exercise programs are popular for achieving physical activity among older adults, but the amount of physical activity obtained through such programs is unknown. This study quantified the bone-loading forces and levels of cardiovascular activity associated with participation in "Better Bones and Balance" (BBB), a community-based fall- and fracture-prevention program for older adults. METHODS: Thirty-six postmenopausal women age 73.2 ± 7.6 yr engages in BBB participated in this study. Ground-reaction forces (GRFs) associated with BBB exercises were evaluated using a force platform. Session and weekly totals of minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and total time spent above 55% maximum heart rate (HR) were measured using accelerometers and HR monitors, respectively. RESULTS: BBB exercises produced mean 1-leg GRFs of 1.4-2.2 units body weight. Weekly BBB participation was associated with 126 ± 31 min of MVPA. CONCLUSION: Activity obtained by BBB participation meets recommended guidelines for skeletal and cardiovascular health.