71 Taiwan Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association risk of sarcopenia, and this risk jumps to 25% in those aged 65 and above. People over the age of 80 face a risk exceeding 60%. Suffering from sarcopenia significantly reduces life expectancy and quality of life and is one of the most important reasons for daily-life functions decline and the loss of independence in the elderly. The recent international researches (as shown in the chart figure) indicate that a sedentary lifestyle (no exercise – see the orange dashed line) accelerates the rate of muscle strength decline, leading to an earlier onset of sarcopenia and disability compared to the general elderly population (the black solid line). In the opposite way, regular exercise in older adults, including pure cardiovascular/aerobic exercise habits (the yellow dashed line) and mixed/muscle strength training (the gray dashed line), can slow down the age-related decline in muscle strength. It’s especially emphasized that muscle strength training offers better benefits in delaying disability compared to pure aerobic exercise. However, current fitness programs for the elderly tend to prioritize gentle and non-strenuous activities. For example, activities like walking, simple physical exercise like stretches, stationary cycling, and Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and yoga mainly involve low to moderate-intensity
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