Accompanying an ageing population is an increasing prevalence of older adults (>65 years) living with overweight or obesity. Despite weight loss being recommended to treat obesity, weight loss can accelerate muscle deterioration in older adults, typically accounting for 25% of weight lost.
Without appropriate intervention, older adults with obesity pursuing weight loss display reductions in muscle mass, accelerating the decline in muscle function and independence, and increasing the risk of co-morbidities. Exercise training is important for slowing the decline in muscle mass during weight loss, but a reduction in muscle mass still occurs.
This project aims to determine the effect of a higher protein intake combined with exercise training on muscle mass and skeletal muscle protein turnover during a 4-week period of weight loss in older adults with obesity.
This project involves: supervised exercise, meal planning, food provision, blood, muscle, urine and saliva sampling, body composition and metabolic profile assessment and financial reimbursement.
Find out more about what the study involves