Active Life Style May Extend Senior Years

Seniors who exercise regularly and enjoy an active lifestyle can have a direct and positive effect on their own life expectancy. Even though it is previously known that exercise programs produced positive results, a recent study now shows that seniors who are active in their daily routines get positive benefits from being in action. The results of the study were published in the

Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers from the National Institute on Aging located in Bethesda, Maryland, studied the daily energy expenditure of a group of 302 high-functioning, community-dwelling seniors ranging from the age to 70 to 82. Their tracking measures were quite sophisticated in that they measured energy expenditure in terms of hydrogen and oxygen eliminated from the body as carbon dioxide. By measuring energy expenditure they were able to categorize the activity level of the individual.

All 302 participants were followed on average for a period of just over 6 years. During the time of the study, 55 participants died – 18.2% of the group. The researchers then compared the activity levels of all participants to see if there was a correlation between death rates and activity levels.

The study results showed that individuals with higher levels of activity energy expenditure were indeed associated with a lower risk of death. This information was achieved by categorizing participants into three activity groups. They ultimately determined that the risk of death for the group with the highest activity level was only 12.1%. The risk of death increased to 17.6% for those in the middle energy level. Worst off was the bottom activity level where the risk of death vaulted to 24.7%.

“Our study suggests that any activity energy expenditure in older adults can help lower mortality risks,” said the study authors who operated under the guidance of study leader Todd M. Manini, Ph.D. Exercise programs for seniors and getting out and taking walks are certainly well advised activities for persons of all ages, but especially seniors. Also, staying active around the home or with yard work and daily activities is advised, too, and verified by the results of this study. “Simply expending energy through any activity may  influence survivalin older adults,” said the researchers.