INTRODUCTION: Clinicians lack the tools to incorporate physical activity into clinical care for Alzheimer's disease prevention. We tested a 52-week exercise and health education program (Lifestyle Empowerment for Alzheimer's Prevention (LEAP! Rx)) that integrates clinician referrals and community-based fitness resources. METHODS: We randomized 219 participants to the LEAP! Rx (ie, exercise and monthly brain health education) or a standard-of-care control group and tested the effects on cardiorespiratory fitness, insulin resistance, body composition, lipids, and cognitive performance. RESULTS: Physicians were able to connect their patients to a community lifestyle intervention. The intervention group increased in cardiorespiratory fitness at 12 and 52 weeks (p = 0.005). We observed no effects on secondary measures. Participants meeting 80% of weekly goals (150 min, moderate to vigorous activity) saw greater fitness improvements than those with less than 80% (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: These RESULTS: hold promise for broad implementation of exercise interventions into larger healthcare systems and have implications for improved research recruitment strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT No. NCT03253341.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PubMed Central
• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher