4. Discussion
Lifestyle-related behaviors
EVENT, DISEASES
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week training program, both supervised and unsupervised, using equipment from popular gyms for elderly individuals to measure lifestyle parameters. It is well understood that lifestyle directly affects the longevity and quality of life of the elderly population [One noteworthy aspect of this study is the family dynamic, as the elderly person’s interactions within the family environment extend their social support, directly impacting mental health and contributing to the quality of life of the elderly [As anticipated in our study, the groups engaging in physical activity demonstrated improved scores after the 12-week program. Recognizing physical activity as a crucial element in lifestyle change and mortality, consequently, it is understood that regular exercise practice has an impact on the survival, well-being and quality of life of the elderly, regardless of gender, age, health parameters and lifestyle [Simultaneously, nutrition contributes to significant changes in the lifestyle of the elderly, promoting an enhanced perception of quality of life [Among several habits that can help achieve a better lifestyle, studies indicate that the absence of tobacco consumption is associated with a better perception of quality of life among the elderly [Regarding alcohol consumption, the present study identified that although the results did not show a statistically significant effect, the trained groups demonstrated lower alcohol consumption compared to the control group. Alcohol consumption is a contributing factor to numerous diseases and is known to be associated with the development of chronic conditions [Regarding sleep in the elderly, the present study demonstrated that ST and UT groups differed from the C group. It is known that sleep is a physiological and heterogeneous event responsible for the restoration of the body, and physical activity is a therapeutic and preventive approach capable of regulating the sleep cycle without side effects, contributing to the maintenance of physical and emotional balance [Thus, it appears to us that physical exercise has the potential to maintain or improve the sleep quality of active elderly individuals. Sleep quality is crucial throughout life; therefore, observing sleep patterns is essential. Disruption in regular sleep patterns is present in approximately 8–18% of the general population and around 50–70% of the elderly population [Regarding the behavior of the elderly, only the ST group showed modifications after 12 weeks of training. The “Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire” considers the following behaviors in by asking participants how often they are “feeling rushed and feeling angry and hostile”, with the options of choice being “Almost always”, “Fairly often”, “Sometimes”, “Rarely” and “Almost never”. Lifestyle-related behaviors are important for improving the quality of life of this population [Over the years, everyone tends to become somewhat more introspective; however, in our findings, no significant changes were evident among the participating groups. Studies indicate that this factor is part of the process of change in the lives of the elderly [In the present study, the work domain did not show significant differences among the evaluated groups. According to Marques et al. [Finally, Some limitations should be considered, such as the low level of physical activity among older adults, the intervention time, the monitoring/control of calorie intake and functional measures that do not allow for generalizations. Although the evaluation of lifestyle has been investigated by questionnaire, an objective evaluation, mainly of physical activity, is necessary. Additionally, it is important to consider the reliability or internal consistency of the instrument, which was not evaluated. Finally, senior gyms present a considerable variety of equipment and, therefore, our results should not be applied in other exercise/equipment or session designs, which does not allow for generalizations of our findings.