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The effect of training on performance and health in middle age

Einfluss von Training auf Leistung und Gesundheit im mittleren Lebensalter

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Abstract

Performance losses in middle age are often attributed to biological ageing. Running-time analyses in long-distance runners aged 20–80 years (n > 500,000) show that in fact no significant performance reductions occur before the age of 54 years. Moreover, further investigations carried out in the context of the PACE project (http://www.dshs-koeln.de/en/pace) reveal that performance losses in middle age are primarily caused by unhealthy lifestyle and lack of training. The increasing number of overweight, untrained individuals indicates that current preventive efforts are insufficient. Maintaining health and performance is becoming an urgent problem in modern society and a solution to this cost-intensive problem is not yet in sight.

Zusammenfassung

Leistungsreduktionen im mittleren Lebensalter werden oft auf einsetzende Alterungsprozesse zurückgeführt. Laufzeitanalysen von 20- bis 80-jährigen Langstreckenläufern (n > 500.000) belegen hingegen, dass bis zum 54. Lebensjahr keine signifikanten physiologischen Leistungsverluste eintreten. Auch die weiteren im Rahmen des PACE-Projekts (http://www.dshs-koeln.de/pace) durchgeführten Untersuchungen zeigen, dass Leistungseinbußen im mittleren Lebensalter primär auf ungünstige Alltagsgewohnheiten und fehlendes Training zurückzuführen sind. Die steigende Zahl übergewichtiger Untrainierter spricht dafür, dass die bisherigen Präventionsanstrengungen nicht ausreichen. Die Erhaltung von Gesundheit und Leistungsfähigkeit wird zu einem drängenden gesamtgesellschaftlichen und kostenintensiven Problem, dessen Lösung nicht in Sicht ist.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group Epidemiology of Performance, Institute for Physiology and Anatomy, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933, Cologne, Germany

    D. Leyk & A. Sievert

  2. Department IV—Military Ergonomics and Exercise Physiology, Central Institute of the Bundeswehr Medical Services Koblenz, Andernacher Str. 100, 56070, Koblenz, Germany

    D. Leyk

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  1. D. Leyk
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  2. A. Sievert
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Correspondence to D. Leyk.

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Leyk, D., Sievert, A. The effect of training on performance and health in middle age. Herz 37, 493–498 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00059-012-3634-9

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