Because physical exercise is an efficient means to improve maximum consumption of oxygen (VO(2max)) and reduce body fat, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of 4 months of a guided physical activity program on BMI, BP and estimated VO(2max) of older participants of the FHP. The sample was composed of 70 older participants who were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) (26 women and 9 men) and the control group (CG) (20 women and 15 men). The program of physical activity included walking, hydrogymnastics, weight-training exercises and stretching exercises. The intensity of the aerobics exercises was set such that participants would achieve 55-65% of the estimated maximum heart rate, with the corresponding effort to be subjectively rated by the participant as 12-13 points on a 6-20 point scale. After 4 months of guided physical activity, there was a significant 19.26% improvement in the VO(2max) in the EG (p ≤ 0.001), and the diastolic pressure in the EG was significantly lower than that in the CG (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the 16-week program of physical activity significantly improved the cardiorespiratory capacity of older individuals.
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