Lifelong exercise routine supports healthier ageing, new study shows | The IndependentSkip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Subscribe`; document.body.appendChild(modal); modal.addEventListener('click', () => { document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; }); modal.querySelector('.subscribe-link')?.addEventListener('click', (e) => { e.preventDefault(); document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; setTimeout(() => { window.location.href = 'https://www.independent.co.uk/subscribe/app'; }, 500); });});]]>Vishwam SankaranTuesday 22 September 2026 09:05 BST35-year-old who looks like teenager shares his anti-ageing secretsA new study has shown that a lifelong physical activity routine can help the body respond better to stress and illness in older age and lead to healthier ageing.Researchers in Nice, France, evaluated around 40 participants with an average age of 64, comparing those who exercised regularly for 30 years with those who did not take part in regular sport.The study gathered data on heart rhythm, muscle strength, lung function, and blood markers to calculate a single “vitality score”, which researchers say can be used to better understand physiological reserve.“Lifelong aerobic physical activity is associated with higher vitality capacity in older adults, particularly within the immune and stress response domain,” scientists wrote in the study published in the journal GeroScience.Scientists called for further studies to validate the use of “vitality score” as a measure in clinical tests.In fullThe lifelong habit that could slow ageingMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in