Is it Worth It to Start Exercising Late in Life?

If a person has not been active for the entire life and is in their 50’s it is easy for them to feel that starting so late in life is not worth it.   A new study suggests it definitely is worth the effort!

People who start exercising in their 50’s reduce their risk of an early death just as much as people who’ve been exercising their whole lives as compared to people who are sedentary the whole time.     What is also interesting is that in this study the lowered risk occurred regardless of how an individual’s BMI fluctuated throughout their lives.    This means that people whose weight fluctuated a lot go the same benefits as those whose weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) stayed steadier.

Researchers looked and 315,059 people and divided them into three groups:

People who were active throughout their whole lives

People who were inactive as youngsters but became active as they got older

People who were active in their youth who because inactive in later years

Of course, those who regularly exercised throughout their lives fared well.     However, those who upped their activity level in their 30's, 40's, and 50's had mortality rates 32 to 35 percent lower than the control group – just as much as those who exercised their whole lives!

Other studies including a 2009 Swedish Study showed the same kind of risk reduction specifically for men who started exercising in their 50’s.     A 2003 study from Denmark showed similar results for men and woman.   A 2017 study found that people who increased their activity level later in life still reduced their risk of early death from cardiovascular disease by 25%.