We have had numerous blogs already about the health benefits of physical activity in older adults.  It reduces chronic disease risk factors, improves mental outlook, and improves ability to live independently.  A new study confirms many of these benefits and shows that being physically active can even extend the length of life.

Scientists in Israel followed a cohort of men and women from age 70 to age 88¹.   They assessed the study participants’ health habits, medical status, and physical function at baseline and at ages 78 and 85.  They also tracked down who in the cohort died at these time points and at age 88.  They classified “active” as doing four hours or more of physical activity. “Inactive” was defined as doing less than this amount of physical activity.

The table below shows the proportion of people in each group who died in the intervening years. For example, in the eight years following the baseline assessments, over 27 percent of “inactive” participants died but only about 15 percent of “active” men and women died.  In other words, inactive people had double the risk of dying in this time period than the active participants. 

Look again at the table.  You will see that in the three years from age 85 to 88, the inactive people died at nearly three times the rate of the active group.  Thus, it appears that being physically active can extend life for at least a few years even among the very old. 

But the good news from this study doesn’t stop there.  The researchers also found that people extended the length of their lives if they went from being inactive to being active during any of the assessment intervals.  Even those who started moving more between ages 85 and 88 had a higher chance of living to the ripe old age of 88.   

The added bonus?  The study participants who were physically active said they were less depressed and lonely.

Now we get to the obvious question?  How do you help older people to be more physically active?  We described two effective programs in our earlier “Getting (Older) People Moving” blog.  Also, check out our “Physical Activity Links for Seniors” blog for resources specifically aimed at this age group.

Do you know any active 80 year olds?  If so, share what they do to keep themselves on the go.

¹ Stessman j, et al.  Physical activity, function, and longevity among the very old.  Archives of Internal Medicine.  2009;169(16):1476-83.