ACTLIFE: is Active Life-style Enough?

Sedentary lifestyles in modern obesogenic society produce several dysfunctions that cause chronic diseases in lederly population and this phenomenon is becoming a major public health problem. Regular physical activity has a profound effect on the expression of the potentials of human resilience, resulting in a decreased risk of chronic diseases. The identification of the biological mechanisms that are candidates for exercise-induced health benefits through biological pathways that are largely different from those targeted by common drugs, is highly relevant, since it might help to improve our knowledge of the pathophysiology of the chronic diseases in the sedentary population as well as to maximize the efficacy of physical activity interventions by implementing the best possible exercise dosage in older adults. For this purpose, the first aim of this project will be to identify the bioactive molecules and functional mechanisms that are candidates for exercise-induced health benefits. Moreover, in the view of more reliable, ecological and tailored approaches to counteract the problem of sedentary lifestyle, the second aim of this project will be to evaluate the effectiveness of an ecological exercise intervention in comparison to a traditional exercise intervention in sedentary elderly individuals.