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Effects of a laughter and exercise program on physiological and psychological health among community-dwelling elderly in Japan: Randomized controlled trial
Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 06/14/2012
Hirosaki M et al. – The combination of a laughter and exercise program might have physiological and psychological health benefits for the elderly. Laughter might be an effective strategy to motivate the elderly to participate in physical activity.
Methods- A total of 27 individuals aged 60 years or older, without disabilities, were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment group (n = 14) or a delayed treatment group (n = 13).
- The intervention was a 120-min session consisting of laughter and exercise, carried out once a week for 10 consecutive weeks.
- Measurements taken at baseline, 3 and 6 months included bodyweight, height, body fat, lean mass, bone mineral density, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), glucose, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as self-rated health and psychological factors.
- All participants completed the 3-month program. Bone mineral density increased significantly in the immediate treatment group compared with the delayed treatment group during the first 3 months (P < 0.001).
- In addition, HbA1c decreased significantly (P = 0.001), and self-rated health increased significantly (P = 0.012).
