Effects of professional trainer-led and trained volunteer-led bodyweight training programs on physical fitness and body composition of rural community-dwelling older adults
Ya-Wen Kuo, Shu-Hung Chang, Mei-Yen Chen, Jiann-Der LeeAbstract
Background and Objectives
Physical inactivity accelerates functional decline in rural older adults with limited exercise resources. Although bodyweight training is scalable, whether benefits depend on professional supervision remains unclear. We compared professional- and trained volunteer-led bodyweight training programs (BWTP) on functional fitness and body composition in rural community-dwelling older adults.
Research Design and Methods
In this quasi-experimental, community-based, three-group pretest-posttest study with community-level allocation (April 2021-January 2022), adults aged ≥65 years who were independent in activities of daily living and not engaged in other regular exercise programs were assigned to a professional trainer, trained volunteer, or comparison group. The intervention groups received a 12-week BWTP. Functional fitness and body composition were assessed pre- and postintervention, and Group × Time effects were examined using two-way mixed ANOVA.
Results
Among 72 participants (Professional Trainer Group, PTG, n = 25; Volunteer Trainer Group, VTG, n = 22; Comparison Group, CG, n = 25), several functional fitness outcomes showed significant Group × Time interactions (p ≤ .003; partial η² = .155-.248). Both intervention groups improved mobility and postural stability more than the CG. PTG improved handgrip strength versus CG (Hedges’ g = 0.85), whereas VTG showed the largest lower-limb muscular endurance gain (g = 1.26). CG declined in several functional measures. No body-composition outcome remained significant after adjustment.
Discussion and Implications
Trained volunteer-led BWTP may extend exercise delivery and support functional fitness in resource-limited rural communities. Hybrid models with professional oversight warrant evaluation because body-composition effects did not persist after multiplicity adjustment.