a1 The Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK A decrease in habitual
physical activity accompanies old age in mammalian species and
in healthy man.74,142 This is not simply a consequence of a
parallel decline in exercise capacity, and factors other than
those which limit aerobic capacity and endurance performance
must be involved.143 Moreover, most old people remain at least
moderately active.144 Everyday activities may require
cardiorespiratory and muscle performance which is much nearer
the maximum in elderly individuals than in younger people and
further reduction in reserves by, for example, illness, will
more readily cause disability. Regular moderate activity is
sufficient to mitigate declining exercise capacity and muscle
performance and conditioning programmes may well confer
additional benefits even at advanced ages. Exercise remains good
for you regardless of age. A suitable programme is one of
moderate to high workrates, involving large muscle groups and
performed for 15–30 minutes every other day.145 The