Table 1 Sample characteristics (mean ± SD), n = 276, at baseline and year 4 for each group: HRT, heavy resistance training; MIT, moderate intensity training; CON, non-exercising control group

Sex

(m/w, %)

41/59

41/59

-

37/63

37/63

-

38/62

38/62

-

-

Age

(years)

66.4

 ± 2.6

70.5

 ± 2.6

t(95) = 1.99

p < 0.001

66.4

 ± 2.4

70.5

 ± 2.5

t(94) = 1.99 p < 0.001

66.6

 ± 2.5

70.7

 ± 2.4

t(84) = 1.99

p < 0.001

F_2,273 = 14.21

p < 0.001, \({\eta }^{2}\) = 0.09

Weight

(kg)

76.3

 ± 13.0

75.5

 ± 13.4

t(95) = 1.99

p = 0.051

74.6

 ± 11.9

73.8

 ± 12.3

t(94) = 1.99 p = 0.035

74.4

 ± 12.7

74.8

 ± 13.8

t(84) = 1.99 p = 0.401

F_2,273 = 2.685

p = 0.070, \({\eta }^{2}\) = 0.02

BMI

(kg/m²)

25.8

 ± 3.9

25.8

 ± 4.0

t(95) = 1.99

p = 0.986

25.6

 ± 3.6

25.5

 ± 3.8

t(94) = 1.99 p = 0.577

25.4

 ± 3.5

25.7

 ± 3.9

t(84) = 1.99 p = 0.058

F_2,273 = 1.911

p = 0.150, \({\eta }^{2}\) = 0.01

Waist

circum

(cm)

92.5

 ± 11.1

92.2

 ± 11.3

t(95) = 1.99

p = 0.551

91.7

 ± 10.7

91.2

 ± 11.1

t(93) = 1.99 p = 0.342

91.9

 ± 10.6

92.0

 ± 12.0

t(83) = 1.99 p = 0.847

F_2,271 = 0.343

p = 0.710, \({\eta }^{2}\) = 0.003

Daily physical activity

(steps/day)

9604

 ± 3256

9562

 ± 3403

t(93) = 1.99

p = 0.877

9737

 ± 2859

9761

 ± 2907

t(88) = 1.99 p = 0.941

9661

 ± 3923

9524

 ± 3560

t(79) = 1.99 p = 0.681

F_2,260 = 0.066

p = 0.936, \({\eta }^{2}\) = 0.0005