A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that people in their 70s and 80s who move around by doing housework, climbing stairs, and engage in more physical activity — but not necessarily formal exercise — live longer than those who are sedentary.
In fact, one-third of the research project’s participants who expended the most energy, had a 12 percent risk of death over the six-year study period. On the other hand, those who were least active had a 25 percent risk of death.
"The message here is that for older adults, any movement is better than no movement and that this can come from usual daily activities," said Todd Manini, principal author of the study told MSNBC.
Too true. The study is a nice reminder that small changes, like walking up the stairs instead of waiting in the lobby for the elevator, can yield big results.
Special thanks to research assistant/writer Bradley Kreit