Daily HealthBeat Tip

Building older bodies

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Maybe America needs to learn from its elders. Researchers say older people are showing leadership in working out. Judy Kruger of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined survey data from 1998 to 2004 on things like lifting weights. Her study was in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

People 65 and older outpaced other age groups over six years in taking up strength training.

Seniors still were least likely to do strength training. But every age group does too little. And seniors tried � something Kruger encourages.

"Grab a friend and motivate each other. All it takes is two days a week. And you can strength train in your own home or at a recreational facility of your choosing." (9 seconds)

The payoff could be more ability to do ordinary things like lifting groceries.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: October 18, 2006

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