Regular exercise ‘important for older people’

Although regular exercise is important at any age, it is particularly crucial that older people stay as active as possible, as it is far easier to put on weight as you age, one expert has pointed out.

Anna Mason, a diet expert, said that the most effective way to exercise is to do it often, as "consistency is king".

She recommended exercising at least three times each week but preferably every day, for a minimum of 15 minutes. 

"Walking, jogging, running, rowing, cycling and any exercise which gets the whole body moving will help to improve the cardiovascular system, improving the blood flow and oxygen supply," the expert explained.

She added that resistance training, working with weights or simply using your own body weight is effective in increasing bone density, while flexibility work is essential for long, lean muscles.

"Our joints become tighter as we age, and taking a flexibility class or a yoga class will help to prevent this. The key is to find exercise you enjoy and make it a part of your lifestyle," Ms Mason said.

It comes after a study by published the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, showed that exercise that can achieve both cardiovascular function and muscle strength is a preferred mode of training for older people.

Experienced practitioners of Tai Chi showed that improved expansion and contraction of arteries and improved knee muscle strength were both observed in older people practising the traditional Chinese mind-body exercise.

Do you find it harder to keep weight off as you get older?