Xu M, Gao Y, Jin X, et al. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2026;27(8):106296.
International evidence synthesis
Across 8 RCTs, supervised exercise appeared safe and acceptable, but evidence that exercise reliably reverses prefrailty to robustness was mainly low certainty; the more methodologically rigorous evidence was less favourable, especially for sustained reversal.
Only 8 heterogeneous RCTs; no pooled meta-analysis because of heterogeneity; low-certainty evidence for the main reversal claim; definitions/interventions varied.
Adults aged ≥60 years with prefrailty; 8 randomized controlled trials
This is an important counterbalance to optimistic small trials. Exercise remains valuable for function, but Healthy Ageing Education should avoid claiming that exercise is proven to 'reverse frailty' as a durable clinical state.