Body composition, body build and fitness of elderly men with a different life-long regime of physical activity

Abstract

Ageing of the organism is manifested among other things by a reduction of LBM (see Fig. 9). Involution of LBM is preceded by functional involution (Hollander 1970) which proceeds more rapidly than morphological involution, e.g. the aerobic capacity during ageing declines not only absolutely but also in relation to body weight and LBM (see Fig. 20 – 22); this also applies to the basal oxygen consumption (Behnke 1956, von Döbeln 1956). Regressive changes begin to appear as early as the third and fourth decade, they are very individual and depend on the health and functional status. It may therefore be assumed that these changes will be related, inter alia, to the degree of motor activity (see Fig. 35). Some pathological processes in old age are caused by senile hypoxia which can, however, be effectively compensated by a special regime of physical activity (Sirotinin 1972). The same applies to the regulation of cardiovascular activity (Arinchin 1972) and manifestations of atherothrombosis in old age (Wright 1972) etc.