Swedish Physical Activity and Fitness Longitudinal Study

NCT06496204 | Completed

• 5 other identifiers: SPAF: dnr 2020-04338 SERADNR 4-397/2021DNR 4-2537/2023P2023-0054P2024-0076
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 429
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Aging means loss of strength, which can affect the ability to lead an active life and be independent. Physical activity can counteract the loss of strength to some extent, but individual differences are large and the mechanisms are partly unknown. The hypothesis is that changes in the innervation and composition of the muscle may explain the individual differences in strength loss. A group of Swedish men and women have participated in this study of physical performance for almost 50 years, since they were 16 years old. The project will improve the understanding of muscle aging. The findings may help to develop strategies to counteract muscle loss and enable healthy aging and to promote physical activity throughout life

Conditions

Sarcopenia; Physical Fitness; Muscle Strength; Dynapenia; Aerobic Fitness

Keywords

physical fitness; aerobic capacity; skeletal muscle; neuromuscular junction; motor unit; ageing; longitudinal study; immunohistochemistry; UPS system

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Aerobic capacity

  Submaximal ergometer test estimating maximal oxygen consumption (L/min)

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

• Skeletal muscle fiber distribution

  Proportion of type I and type II skeletal muscle fibers from biopsies

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

• Sargent Jump

  Vertical jump (cm)

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

• Muscular endurance

  Bench press test with women lifting 12 kg and med 20 kg at a pace of 25 lifts per minute until exhaustion

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• physical activity

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

• Educational level

  through study completion, an average of 70 year

Study Arms (1)

SPAF

At the beginning of the study, in 1974, a group of 429 (224 males, and 205 females) of pupils at secondary high school in Sweden was systematically selected: The country was stratified into six regions with a similar population size and climate. In each region, one or more secondary high schools were randomly selected. At each school, the number of pupils was selected in proportion to the distribution of girls and boys in secondary high school, the number of pupils in the region, and the proportion of pupils in each school program (theoretical three-year program to prepare for higher studies or practical two-year program to prepare for working life). Individual subjects were then randomly selected at each school based on these criteria and are representative of 16-year-old girls and boys attending secondary high school in Sweden. All participants have been invited to followups at age 34, 52 and 63 years

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

se above

You may qualify if:

• Belonging to the 0.5% of all pupils who entered secondary high school in Sweden in 1974 and attended one of the systematically selected secondary high schools, and was belonging to the systematically selected pupils.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Karolinska Institutet: lead
• Swedish Research Council for Sport Science: collaborator
• The Swedish Research Council: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Karolinska institutet

Stockholm, 14152, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Westerstahl M, Jornaker G, Jansson E, Aasa U, Ingre M, Pourhamidi K, Ulfhake B, Gustafsson T. Rise and Fall of Physical Capacity in a General Population: A 47-Year Longitudinal Study. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2025 Dec;16(6):e70134. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.70134.

  PMID: 41243424 DERIVED

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITH DNA

Blood, muscle tissue, skin tissue

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sarcopenia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Atrophy; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Atrophy; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 27, 2024
• First Posted: July 11, 2024
• Study Start: March 22, 2021
• Primary Completion: June 8, 2022
• Study Completion: June 8, 2022
• Last Updated: April 2, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SE (1)