from journal PLoS One
There are many reasons to keep active in our
later years. Among the latest reminders is a
study in the journal PLOS ONE. In a group
of people with an average age of seventyeight,
those who engaged in less than
twenty-five minutes of moderate to vigorous
physical activity each day—such as walking
briskly, cycling or swimming—tended to get
fifty percent more prescription medications
over the next four or five years than people
of the same age who were more active. At
least twenty-five minutes of physical activity
a day leads to higher metabolism and better
circulation, reduced risk of conditions and
diseases common in older age. The study
also found being physically active reduced
the risk of unplanned hospitalizations or visits
to emergency rooms, and the difference
existed in spite of other factors, such as
weight or education.