Exercising when young ‘reduces weight gain later in life’

People who exercise regularly when they are young are less likely to gain weight when they are older, a study has suggested.

Researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in the US found that women who took part in moderate to vigorous activities many times a week over 20 years gained an average of 13 lbs less than those who did not exercise regularly.

Active men, however, only gained 6 lbs less than their inactive counterparts, the researchers found.

The type of high-octane activity that the keen exercisers took part in included basketball, running and brisk walking.

"Everyone benefits from high activity, but I was surprised by the gender differences," said the study's lead author Dr Arlene Hankinson, an instructor in preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Earlier this month, researchers from Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine revealed that endurance exercise can make people look younger as it enhances the body's ability to rejuvenate old muscles.

How much exercise do you do each week? Could you do more?