Effects of a Multicomponent Exercise Program on Prevalence and Severity of the Frailty Syndrome in a Sample of Italian Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background: Frailty is a well‐known condition that leads to a lack of resilience, with a reduced homeostatic capacity and a consequent higher risk of suffering adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the effectiveness of an exercise program to improve and reverse physical frailty amongst Italian older adults. Methods: One hundred and twenty‐three community dwelling older adults (mean age 74 years, SD = 6; 64% women) were involved in an experimental (EG; n = 62) and a control (CG; n = 61) group. Frailty was assessed at baseline and after the intervention using an adapted version of the frailty phenotype. The EG took part in a 16‐week exercise program, consisting of endurance, strength, balance and flexibility exercises, while the CG maintained the same routine. Results: After the exercise program, the EG was more robust than the CG (F = 43.51, p < 0.001). Within the EG, 46% of pre‐frail and 50% of frail people reached the robust and pre‐frail levels, respectively. Effects of training were higher in frail and pre‐frail people (reduction of frailty of 0.67 and 0.76 points, respectively) compared to robust ones (who frailty levels increased by 0.23 points; F = 11.32, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A multicomponent exercise program may be effective at improving and reverting frailty, specifically for frail and pre‐frail people.