Study Says Over-60s Should Exercise More

A study published in the European Heart Journal suggests people older than 60 should exercise more to reduce the danger of heart attack and stroke, reports the Sydney Morning Herald . The researchers looked at more than 1.1 million seniors, and found those who started exercising after being continuously inactive had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease of up to 11 percent versus those who remained passive. Those who tapered off as they aged were up to 27 percent more likely to develop heart and blood vessel problems. These trends were evident even in individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. "The most important message from this research is that older adults should increase or maintain their exercise frequency to prevent cardiovascular disease," said Kyuwoong Kim at Seoul National University Graduate School Department of Biomedical Sciences. He added that doctors should prescribe physical exercise in addition to other recommended medical treatments for people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.