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Physical activity in old age can keep chronic diseases at bay
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Maintaining physical activity at any age is very important.
This is according to scientists from the Northwestern Medical Center, who conducted research in collaboration with colleagues from the Cooper Institute.
For many decades, research has been conducted on the benefits of exercise using cardiorespiratory elements.
But their benefits for older people have not been appreciated, and yet how many chronic diseases can be protected from if you exercise every day.
"We've found that being physically fit and exercising every day can not only help you stay healthy, but it can also help reverse a lot of chronic diseases," says Dr. Jared Berry, an associate professor of internal medicine.
The experts' research involved 18,670 people aged 70 to 84. To analyze their health, they looked at archival medical records, which were kept for forty years.
The collected documentation was reviewed, including taking into account the health problems and complaints of patients at the moment.
It turned out that people who did more physical exercise in middle age were less susceptible to chronic diseases in old age and felt younger than their biological age. Their peers who did not lead such an active lifestyle were more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer and other ailments. The effect of using this method was equal for men and women.
This study confirms the positive effect of gradually increasing physical activity, whether it is running or race walking, which will subsequently, in old age, free a person from the shackles of age-related diseases.
According to the National Institutes of Health, adults should get at least two and a half hours of vigorous physical activity a week to keep the heart and other vital organs functioning properly.
Here are some rules to follow when doing physical exercise:
- Before starting any exercise, consult a specialist.
- Choose comfortable shoes and clothes.
- Training should begin slowly, gradually increasing the load and duration of the sessions.
- Start your activity with a warm-up – prepare your body for more serious exercises.
- Stick to one set of exercises.
- Increase the intensity of your exercise gradually to the maximum, so that your breathing quickens and your heart rate increases.
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