PhD defence: Health and physiological adaptations of small-sided team sport games in untrained older adults aged 65-93 years

Jacob Vorup Petersen

PhD thesis

Aging is associated with loss of physical function and increased risk of lifestyle diseases. A contributing factor in the progression towards age-related diseases is physiological decline. An established strategy to attenuate or even reverse this age-related physiological decline is regular exercise.

Previously, the scientific literature has focused on traditional exercise modalities such as brisk walking, cycling and resistance training in the prevention of age-related diseases and physiological decline.

However, the present PhD thesis shows that also exercise organized as small-sided ball games are feasible in elderly aged 65-93 years. Importantly, small-sided ball games was shown to be a motivating exercise activity with a high degree of social connectedness, and led to a number of physiological adaptations important for health and physical function.

2017, 172 pages.

Time

6 June 2017, 13:00

Place

St. Aud, Nørre Allé 53, 1., 2200 Copenhagen

Opponents

Professor Susanne Bügel (chair), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Associate professor Paolo Casserotti, University of Southern Denmark, Department of sports science and clinical biomechanics, Denmark.

Professor Carlo Castagna, University of Rome Tor Vegata, Italy.

Supervisor

Professor Jens Bangsbo, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.