Your later years are not the time to give up on exercise. Regular physical activity can help make everyday tasks easier and help you live independently in old age. But according to the National Institutes of Health, only about 30% of people ages 45 to 64 say they engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. The number falls to 25% for those between 65 and 74 and to just 11% for people 85 and older.
Physical activity can improve your balance, increase your strength, improve your mood, and help control conditions like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression. It can also lower your risk of developing some types of cancer.
Experts recommend 4 types of exercise for older adults:
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