This study investigated the impact of physical activity and cognitive stimulation on the cognitive function of elderly women. The study was conducted in Bauru, Brazil, and involved 92 socioeconomically vulnerable elderly women. The researchers found that a combination of physical activity and cognitive stimulation significantly improved the cognitive function of these women.

HIIT workouts can be tailored to various fitness levels and goals. **Key Features of HIIT:**

* **High-Intensity Interval Training:** The core principle of HIIT is alternating between high-intensity bursts and short recovery periods. * **Anaerobic Exercise:** HIIT primarily utilizes anaerobic exercise, which means the body doesn’t have enough oxygen to meet the energy demands of the exercise.

* **HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training):** A training method characterized by short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods. * **RT (Resistance Training):** A form of exercise that involves using resistance to challenge muscles and build strength. * **Aerobic Exercise:** Any physical activity that increases the heart rate and breathing rate and improves cardiovascular health.

For example, if you’re doing a high-intensity interval training workout, your heart rate will likely be higher than if you’re doing a low-intensity workout. The increase in heart rate and stroke volume during HIIT is due to the body’s physiological response to the alternating periods of high-intensity and low-intensity exercise. This response is triggered by the body’s need to adapt to the sudden changes in demand, Ciolac explained.

The researchers believe that the findings of the study showing the benefits of an affordable exercise program will contribute significantly to the well-being of low-income older women, who are a high-risk group for cardiovascular diseases, and to the formulation of public policy relating to the prevention of those diseases. “We expected HIIT combined with RT to assure more cardiovascular benefits, since for the last ten years we’ve conducted similar studies of other high-risk groups [people with obesity and diabetes, for example], and the combination has always proved beneficial to cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. What surprised us was that the improvement in arterial stiffness persisted even three months after the end of the training period. The training can be said to have slowed vascular aging in these women,” Ciolac said.

A. The Silent Threat: Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Disease
B.

Arterial stiffness is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is characterized by the hardening and thickening of arteries, leading to reduced blood flow and increased blood pressure. Arterial stiffness is linked to a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events.

More information: Vanessa Teixeira do Amaral et al, Superior effect of long-term community-based high-intensity interval training on cardiovascular and functional parameters in low-income older women, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (2024). DOI: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwae200 Journal information: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology