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MASTERS ATHLETICS SUMMER 2013
fitter boys did better than the unfit ones in intelligence tests. In
2011 Michelle Vos, et al, reviewed current evidence of the links
between physical activity/exercise and its impact on the brain
throughout the lifespan. In particular they focussed on aerobic and
resistance exercise and activities. The evidence was plentiful –
exercise helps to maintain brain health into old age. Regular
exercise leads to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular
diseases, osteoporosis, colon cancer, breast cancer, mental
disorders, and early death. When comparing sedentary people
with physically active people the evidence that reduced risk is
linked to levels of physical activity is clear. The more active people
are, the lower their health risks.
Unfortunately evidence from Western world populations shows
that we are growing less active. Less than 50% of children aged 6-
11 and only about 8% of adolescents aged 12-19 are physically
active for about an hour per day, (in such as school games, tree
climbing, swimming, chase-me races, etc), whilst only 5% of adults
are physically active for at least 30 minutes per day – and that
includes regular activities like gardening, taking the dog for long
walks, dancing classes. Canadian researchers at the University of
Montreal showed that overweight men – average age 49 – who
became involved in intensive training - such as weight lifting,
cycling, circuit-training - twice per week showed considerable
improvements in their artery health. After only four months their
attention span, information processing, short term memory, and
flexibility of thinking had all improved. In her article Peta Bee,
quoted a University of Edinburgh research study led by James
Goodwin, carried out on 638 people, all over the retirement age.
The most physically active people in that group showed the
smallest amount of brain shrinkage. Many master athletes and
others involved in a range of sporting activities, both competitive
and non-competitive, have also reported what they perceive as
clear social, health and wellness benefits, which they enjoy. Much
of the focus over the last fifty years or so has been on the major
improvement in health, and so longer lives, that have been
observed in countries like Britain, America and Australia that have
been linked to the reduction in smoking. For instance American
research led by Towfighi, (2008), provided evidence of a 25%
reduction in death rates associated with tobacco smoking in
countries where the numbers of smokers were declining. Towfighi
and his colleagues were clearly more concerned with reducing
damaging behaviours than promoting physical activity. However,
other research have shown that far fewer people involved in
competitive master’s athletics actually smoke. (In the research
world this is known as a confounding variable; which comes first –
the chicken or the egg?). Around the world master’s aged people
are involved in a wide range of sporting activities – both
competitive and non-competitive. They report what they believe
are clear social, health and mental welfare benefits that they enjoy.
So, what is some of the evidence to support their beliefs that
exercise involvement provides benefits right across the masters’
age range?
Paul Williams and his colleagues, (2009), reported the results of
their study of 29,532 men and 12,176 women. They were
investigating Macular Degeneration. This is a problem affecting
the light sensitive retina area of the eyes – it is more common in
women than in men. It is also more common in people over the
age of 70, and in smokers. The research team found that those
who ran regularly every day showed approximately 19% less risk
of macular degeneration developing if they regularly jogged/ran
between 2 and 4 kilometres per day. Not only were they fitter but
this apparently carried the benefit that less of them suffered from
macular deterioration in their eyesight.
One problem with all of the evidence re physical activity being
linked to better health and life expectancy is that few articles tell us become increasingly attractive include: sports provide fitness, fun,
clearly how much activity; and at what intensity levels; do we need
to undertake. How intensive should our exercise/training be? And,
are the benefits still applicable to older master athletes? Fei Sun
and his research colleagues (2013) have recently produced a
review of 53 research papers, published since the year 2000,
regarding the physical activity of people over the age of 60. They
left out any data based on residents in old people’s homes. This
sort of behaviour is common in many researches – leave out the
evidence that might not, or doesn’t support your beliefs! In several
different studies the percentages who were reported as being
physically active ranged from 2.3% (English data), to 82.6%
(Chinese data). Definitions of the amount of recommended
physical activity varied across the studies, as did the methods used
to measure the amounts of activity actually carried out. Many
people reported doing more exercise than was actually the case.
The older that people became, so less and less of them continued
to be physically active. One thing has become very clear. Over the
last fifty years so less and less people who reach the age sixty are
still physically active, compared with records from earlier years.
Generally FeiSun’s research showed that women were less active
than men. However, other studies have suggested that women are
in fact more physically active if housework is included as an
activity. Women were found to be less involved in physical activity
in their spare time. Amongst many recommendations a common
picture emerges and is reflected in that provided by The American
College of Sports Medicine. It recommends that every U.S. adult
should carry out 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical
activity - preferably every day of the week – or about 150 minutes
spread over five days of the week. The authors of the American
College Report point to the difficulty caused by variable definitions
of what counts as physical activity. Additionally they say the
frequent lack of representative samples of older people in many
reports made it difficult to come to any conclusions. Despite the
evidence of shrinking physical activity linked to the whole
population Rylee Dionigi et al (2011), reported that the number of
master’s involved in a range of sports is growing rapidly. One
current example - the next World Sports Championships, due to
take place in Turino this coming summer has recently, (May 28th
2013), pasted an advertisement on the internet to the effect that it
is not too late to enter – with 20,000 entries having already been
received.
Another apparent advantage of the effects of regular involvement
in sporting activity was reported by Kirk Erikson in 2011. As we
grow older parts of our brain shrink. This leads to the risk of
dementia, but not only is shrinkage less rapid in physically active
adults Erickson’s results show that taking up aerobic exercise,
even when old, led to a 20% increase in the hippocampus region
of the brains of 120 newly active oldies. The brains of the non-
active group continued to shrink. It seems it’s never too late to get
started.
Vincent Gremeaux, in 2012, drew our attention to the fact that
many adults return to sport but then drift away again. In many
sports we need to develop ways of reducing this. So; where are
we – us competitive master track and field athletes? Well world-
wide Master’s athletics has shown considerably growth during the
last 30-40 years. Baker, in 2010 argued that this is partly due to
people in western countries living longer, and partly because there
are more oldies now following the end of world war two, when huge
numbers of ‘baby boomers’ were born. Amongst these some 52%
are sedentary, whilst 30% are obese. So, why is it mostly men who
take part in master’s athletics? Apparently older ladies in particular
see sports participation as risky. And in England fifty or sixty years
ago it was common to believe girls were far too fragile to play rough
games like soccer, or risky sports like cross-country running. In
1964 Hereson School in Henley on Thames ran the first school’s
county cross-country championships for girls anywhere in Britain.
We’ve progressed a long way since then.
So why are more people participating in master sports?
Explanations as to why an increasing range of master sports have
friendship, and competition against similar aged adults. Typically
adults work less hours in the week. Pollock showed that over a ten
year period middle aged and older regular participants in active
sports showed a small loss of aerobic capacity, whilst sedentary
people showed a big loss. Similarly Hasberg compared elite older
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