Women leading sedentary lifestyles have faster-ageing cells, study finds

Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology has shown that women who lead a sedentary lifestyle have faster-ageing cells than those who exercise every day.

The study examined 1,500 women aged between 64 and 95 and found that those who spent the majority of the day sitting down and taking part in little exercise, possessed cells that were biologically eight years older.

In general, as people age their cells also age, causing telomeres, tiny caps on the ends of DNA, to shorten and fray, reducing the amount of protection around chromosomes. Telomere length can be used to indicate the biological age of a person, with shortened telomeres linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and major cancers.

However, the researchers found that health and lifestyle factors tended to speed up the process of ageing cells, with those women who lacked exercise possessing shorter telomeres.

Dr Aladdin Shadyab, lead study author, from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, said: "We found that women who sat for longer did not have shorter telomere length if they exercised for at least 30 minutes a day.

"Discussions about the benefits of exercise should start when we are young, and physical activity should continue to be part of our daily lives as we get older, even at 80 years old."