Generation 100 is an exercise study following more than 1500 women and men in their 70s for five years. We aim to find out if exercise can give the elderly a longer and healthier life, and we also compare the effect of moderate and high-intensity exercise. The study is the largest of its kind, and the five-year testing of the participants was completed this summer. Several scientic papers have already been published from the project.

Background for the study

Demographic data indicate tripling of the population aged 60 years or older by the year 2050. Thus, research on how to achieve healthy aging is needed and required.

Generation 100 is the largest randomized clinical study that evaluates the effect of regular exercise training on morbidity and mortality in elderly people. Inclusion of the participants in Generation 100 started in 2012. Since then, a total of 1567 participants have been randomized to either five years of supervised exercise training, or to a control group. The exercise group was further randomized to either two weekly sessions of high intensity training or to moderate intensity training. The control group was instructed to follow physical activity advice according to national recommendations.

Clinical examinations, as well as questionnaires, are administered to all participants at baseline, at one year (2013/2014), three year (2015/2016), and five year follow up (2017/2018). In light of the aging population, our data will contribute to an improved understanding on how older persons can achieve more, active years in better health. If proven beneficial, exercise as “medicine” will be a relatively cheap, accessible and available treatment that can benefit a large proportion of the population.

Read the full research article describing the Generation 100 study in BMJ Open:

A randomised controlled study of the long-term effects of exercise training on mortality in elderly people: study protocol for the Generation 100 study