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A Report of the Surgeon General
Physical Activity and Health
Older Adults
KEY MESSAGES:
- Older adults, both male and female,
can benefit from regular physical activity.
Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve
health benefits.
- Older adults can obtain significant
health benefits with a moderate amount of physical
activity, preferably daily. A moderate amount of activity
can be obtained in longer sessions of moderately intense
activities (such as walking) or in shorter sessions
of more vigorous activities (such as fast walking
or stairwalking).
- Additional health benefits can
be gained through greater amounts of physical activity,
either by increasing the duration, intensity, or frequency.
Because risk of injury increases at high levels of
physical activity, care should be taken not to engage
in excessive amounts of activity.
- Previously sedentary older adults
who begin physical activity programs should start
with short intervals of moderate physical activity
(5–10 minutes) and gradually build up to the
desired amount.
- Older adults should consult with
a physician before beginning a new physical activity
program.
- In addition to cardiorespiratory
endurance (aerobic) activity, older adults can benefit
from muscle-strengthening activities. Stronger muscles
help reduce the risk of falling and improve the ability
to perform the routine tasks of daily life.
- The loss of strength and stamina
attributed to aging is in part caused by reduced physical
activity.
FACTS:
- Inactivity increases with age.
By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women
engage in no physical activity.
- Among adults aged 65 years and
older, walking and gardening or yard work are, by
far, the most popular physical activities.
- Social support from family and
friends has been consistently and positively related
to regular physical activity.
BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:
- Helps maintain the ability to live
independently and reduces the risk of falling and
fracturing bones.
- Reduces the risk of dying from
coronary heart disease and of developing high blood
pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.
- Can help reduce blood pressure
in some people with hypertension.
- Helps people with chronic, disabling
conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength.
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and
depression and fosters improvements in mood and feelings
of well-being.
- Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles,
and joints.
- Helps control joint swelling and
pain associated with arthritis.
WHAT COMMUNITIES CAN DO:
- Provide community-based physical
activity programs that offer aerobic, strengthening,
and flexibility components specifically designed for
older adults.
- Encourage malls and other indoor
or protected locations to provide safe places for
walking in any weather.
- Ensure that facilities for physical
activity accommodate and encourage participation by
older adults.
- Provide transportation for older
adults to parks or facilities that provide physical
activity programs.
- Encourage health care providers
to talk routinely to their older adult patients about
incorporating physical activity into their lives.
- Plan community activities that
include opportunities for older adults to be physically
active.
For more information contact:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, MS K-46
4770 Buford Highway, NE
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
1-888-CDC-4NRG or 1-888-232-4674 (Toll Free)
http://www.cdc.gov
The President’s Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 738H
Washington, DC 20201
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