Abstract
Over the past century, life expectancy has increased substantially. However, a longer lifespan does not necessarily translate into more years lived in good health. Ageing is associated with declines in physical functioning and metabolic health, which can contribute to the development of chronic disease and disability. Consequently, age-related health decline not only impacts quality of life but also places additional pressure on healthcare systems.
Physical activity and nutritional intake are modifiable lifestyle factors that can help preserve musculoskeletal and metabolic health throughout ageing. However, ageing is a highly heterogeneous process, leading to considerable variation in health phenotypes across individuals. This thesis therefore investigated the effects of exercise and nutritional interventions on various aspects of musculoskeletal and metabolic health across populations of older adults with diverse health profiles. The studies included individuals with impaired metabolic health, those experiencing mobility limitations, patients recovering from joint replacement surgery, and relatively healthy older adults.
The findings showed that high-intensity resistance exercise training combined with targeted nutritional support can greatly increase muscle mass and strength and improve physical functioning in different groups of health-compromised older adults. Furthermore, applying such an intervention during rehabilitation following knee replacement surgery can lead to greater gains in muscle strength compared to standard postoperative rehabilitation alone. This thesis also demonstrates that even relatively healthy older adults can improve their metabolic health through high-intensity aerobic exercise training. In summary, this thesis supports that exercise and nutritional interventions can be powerful tools to promote healthy ageing across a diverse range of older adults.
Defence date: 18/09/2026
