Does it do any good to start eating right and exercising late in life? If you've been putting off taking care of your body until retirement, the good news is that you can still benefit by getting the recommended amount of exercise and eating more nutritiously.
Richard Rivlin writes in the November 2007 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that even if you've had a lifetime of poor eating habits and lack of exercise, older individuals would reduce their health risks by changing to healthy habits for nutrition and exercise.
More Fat, Less Muscle You Age
As both men and women age, they put on more body fat than lean muscle and bone mass. With more fat and less muscle, the older person's metabolic rate is lower and they are burning fewer calories per day.Boosting Your Metabolism with Exercise
To make up for this natural reduction in the metabolic rate, older persons must eat less and exercise more. Exercise burns off fat and builds lean muscle and bone. Lean muscle burns more calories per day than fat, boosting your metabolism. The exercise guidelines for adults over 65 from the American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association list the amount of cardio, strength, balance and flexibility exercise needed to reduce health risks.Reducing Health Risks
- Bone Loss: Rivlin cited studies that showed that taking calcium and vitamin D supplements for three years slowed the rate of bone loss in men and women over age 65. More: Preventing Bone Loss
- Preventing Cancer: Following nutrition and lifestyle recommendations reduces cancer risk by one-third. This includes not smoking, exercising regularly and eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and fiber. More: Preventing Cancer
- Watch Your Cholesterol and Lipids: For those over age 65 with coronary artery disease, reducing your serum lipids can reduce your heart risks by as much as 45%, according to Rivlin. More: Preventing High Cholesterol
- Control Your Blood Pressure: Rivlin says that controlling hypertension has the most benefit for older individuals. More: High Blood Pressure Treatment
Source: Rivlin RS. "Keeping the young-elderly healthy: is it too late to improve our health through nutrition?" Am J Clin Nutrition. 2007 Nov;86(5):1572S-6S.
