A 47-year-long study in Sweden has found that no matter how frequently one exercises when young, human physical performance begins to decline around the age of 35.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Sweden's Karolinska Institute conducted a 47-year follow-up on hundreds of randomly selected men and women aged 16 to 63. Multiple physical fitness tests showed that regardless of how often people exercised in their youth, physical strength and capability started to decrease at around age 35. After that, bodily functions gradually deteriorate, and the rate of decline accelerates with age.
However, the study also found that exercising at any stage in life brings significant benefits. Even if people only begin physical exercise after reaching adulthood, their physical function can still improve by 5% to 10%.
The study's first author, Maria Weststål, said: “It's never too late to start exercising. Our research shows that physical activity can indeed slow down functional decline, even though it cannot completely stop the process.”
The related paper was recently published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.