White paper
Active ageing fitness
The benefits of active ageing
The future will see an increased proportion of elderly people throughout all modern societies. It is estimated by the WHO (World Health Organization) that in the year 2050 there will be equally as many elderly people in the world as there are children (1). Not only will there be more elderly people but the perception of being old will also continue to change. Previously, age was seen as a natural weakness process and reduction in lifestyle options. While this still holds true in many respects, this perception has shifted towards a higher chronological age group. In the future, people aged 65-75 will expect to have the same quality of life and life options as younger persons. As an illustration of this change in perception, this age-group (65-75) has been referred to as “yold” (young old) (2) and the percentage of “yold” in affluent countries has already increased from 8% in 2000 to 11% in 2015. In relation to outdoor fitness, this means that we can expect more users in this segment, and that those users will have a higher activity level and a higher demand for tailored, effective solutions.
KOMPAN offers an extensive, high-quality range of outdoor fitness equipment for seniors, which will help you design outdoor fitness areas that accommodate this segment's growing need.
6 benefits of staying active
After the age of 50, we tend to lose around 1% of muscle strength per year with further accelerated loss after the age of 75. However, most of this can be prevented through regular strength training, and research has shown that even at an older age, muscle mass can be increased.
The increased risk of falling can be related to decreased physical activity levels, and many studies show that the risk of falling can be significantly reduced with exercise.
It is generally recognized that falls can be prevented by doing a mix of balance, mobility, and task-oriented exercises.
The best exercise for preventing most lifestyle diseases is a combination of cardio training, strength training, and generally increased physical activity levels.
An important motivational factor for elderly people to exercise is the social construct around the activity. Exercising together decreases the feeling of loneliness.
Decreasing the number of falls among the elderly can directly save large amounts of money for society as well as human suffering.
