Supporting Aging Through Green Exercise (SAGE)

Summary

Aerobic exercise is an evidence-based approach to mitigate cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Emerging evidence suggests that the cognitive benefits of exercise may be enhanced when performed in outdoor, natural settings, as compared to indoor or built settings. Thus, the investigators aim to compare the effects of outdoor versus indoor walking programs on cognitive function among older adults with MCI. Secondary outcomes are motor function, emotional well-being, health-related behaviours, and quality of life. Participants will be randomly assigned to a 12--week, 3x/week program of either outdoor walking on forest trails or indoor walking on a treadmill. A 3-month followup will also be completed after trial completion.

Conditions

• Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Aging

Interventions

OTHER

Aerobic Exercise Indoors

Each session will consist of 10 min of warm-up, 40 min of aerobic exercise, and 10 min of cool-down. Aerobic exercise will be progressive and of moderate intensity. During training, each participant will wear a heart rate monitor and will be asked to work initially at approximately 45% of his/her target heart rate (i.e., heart rate reserve (HRR)) and gradually progress to reach the target of 70% of HRR over the 12-week study period. Participants will also subjectively monitor workout intensity using the 20-point Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion. Participants will walk or jog on treadmills or cycle on stationary bikes in the Exercise Prescription Suite of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility.

OTHER

Aerobic Exercise Outdoors

Each session will consist of 10 min of warm-up, 40 min of aerobic exercise, and 10 min of cool-down. Aerobic exercise will be progressive and of moderate intensity. During training, each participant will wear a heart rate monitor and will be asked to work initially at approximately 45% of his/her target heart rate (i.e., heart rate reserve (HRR)) and gradually progress to reach the target of 70% of HRR over the 12-week study period. Participants will also subjectively monitor workout intensity using the 20-point Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion. Participants will walk or jog pre-determined routes in trails of an urban forest (Pacific Spirit Park)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of British Columbia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PhD · University of British Columbia

• Matthew Noseworthy, BSc · University of British Columbia

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-01-19

Primary Completion

2023-07-10

Completion

2023-11-27

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations