Resistance Training and Sarcopenia-Related Quality of Life in Younger and Older Adults

Introduction : Older adults are at risk for sarcopenia, which can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Resistance training may improve HRQoL; however, data using sarcopenia-specific HRQoL assessments are lacking. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether HRQoL differs by age group (younger: age 20-29 yr; older: age 60-85 yr) and resistance training exercise status. Methods : Participants (n = 76) were categorized into four groups based on age and whether they met the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for resistance training: younger resistance trained (YRT), younger not resistance trained (YNT), older resistance trained (ORT), and older not resistance trained (ONT). Participants completed the Sarcopenia and Quality of Life questionnaire (SarQoL (R)), which assessed total SarQoL (R) and seven domains: physical and mental health, locomotion, body composition, functionality, activities of daily living (ADLs), leisure activities, and fears. Results : ORT and YNT were not significantly different on total SarQoL (R) and all seven domains (P >= 0.05), despite the age difference; small to medium effect sizes indicated that ORT had higher scores on four domains compared to YNT (d = 0.21-0.66). ORT scored higher than ONT on total SarQoL (R) and physical and mental health (P < 0.05); these effect sizes were large (d = 0.95 and 0.88, respectively). YRT scored higher than YNT on total SarQoL (R), physical and mental health, functionality, ADLs, and leisure activities (P < 0.05) with large effect sizes (d = 0.86-1.13). Conclusion : Findings suggest that resistance training may be an effective modality to attenuate age-related decline in HRQoL. Findings inform evidence-based practice for healthcare and fitness professionals working with older adults with concerns regarding feelings of weakness, loss of muscle mass, difficulty during physical effort, and feelings of frailty.