Energy Expenditure of Nursing Home Residents and Participation in Exercise Classes: An Analysis of the SENIOR Cohort

Despite the positive effects of regular physical activity on health, the majority of nursing home residents spend most of their time inactive.1,2 So far, little data is available as to whether physical activity programs, organized in the form of exercise classes, increase weekly energy expenditure (WEE) of residents. It is possible that the increased energy expenditure observed during exercise classes is canceled out by reduced physical activity during the rest of the week. This study aimed to compare the WEE generated by physical activity of nursing home residents involved in group exercise classes to the WEE of residents who do not take part in such classes.