Extracted text
Act Now, Age Better
Physical activity: key message document
NB – this information is only for public use
after launch on Tuesday 29 April
Core messages
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We’re living longer, and with the right choices, we can also live better.
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Simple steps in our 50s and 60s can lead to major benefits down the road.
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Staying active now increases the chances of living the life we want later. It’s an
investment in the future – a bit like paying into a physical pension plan.
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Physical activity can be a powerful, rewarding, and even social part of life. It doesn’t
have to feel like a chore!
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Every step, pedal stroke, paddle, dance move, and even bit of housework counts
towards a healthier, stronger future.
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Let’s shift the mindset from exercise as obligation to movement as empowerment.
Let’s change how we age.
What’s the campaign all about?
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Getting older is a privilege, but one that can come with many challenges.
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Many of us are reluctant to talk about ageing, and this can stop us from preparing
fully for our later life.
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At Age UK, we’re committed to transforming public attitudes to ageing and starting a
national conversation about what it means to get older.
•
We hear about the things older people wish they'd done when they were younger
that would have helped them as they aged – and we want to share that knowledge
and experience.
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While we can’t prevent ageing, we can take action earlier on in life to help us to age
in the best way possible.
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That’s why Age UK has launched Act Now, Age Better – and we’re kicking off our
campaign by talking about staying active.
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The sad fact is that one in six deaths in the UK is linked to physical inactivity.i
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We’re not here to preach – everyone already knows that being active is a great way
to stay healthy. But it’s not always easy to find the time to prioritise it, or ourselves –
particularly in mid-life.
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The good news is that, when it comes to physical activity, small changes can make a
big difference. There’s no need for marathons or gym memberships – it’s about being
consistent and making movement part of our daily lives.
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Age UK has worked with lifestyle medicine doctor, personal trainer and health coach
Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi on some simple, effective ways to add more activity to our
lives.
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Our partner Dunelm are supporting the campaign by helping us start the
conversation with their customers about ageing, both in-store and online, showing
that home is the perfect place to start getting active.
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We’ll also be sharing ideas and inspiration from people who’ve already reached their
70s, 80s and beyond – where better to hear it from than the horse’s mouth?
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Because if we act now, we can age better.
The benefits of physical activity (facts and stats)
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Movement is our secret weapon to staying strong. And strength and balance are key
to ageing well.
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Building fitness, strength and balance now can act as a buffer against ageing,
helping us stay independent for longer.
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Small, consistent changes can have a significant impact over time, leading to more
energy, greater independence, and fewer health concerns in the future.
Sharper mind
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Skill-based activities like dancing and racket sports can give your brain a boost.ii
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Staying active in later life helps improve memory and thinking skills.iii
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Regular movement can cut dementia risk.iv
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Being more physically active can help reduce the risk and/or severity of frailty in later
lifev vi making it easier to recover from illness and other health shocks.
Better mood and mental health
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Strength training helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. vii
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Being active more than once a week is linked to lower risk of depression.viii
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Group activities keep you moving and connected, and can fight loneliness.
Stronger heart
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A mix of higher-intensity activity and strength training keeps your heart, blood
pressure, and circulation in check.
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Regular exercise lowers cardiovascular disease risk.ixx
Healthier metabolism
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Staying active reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes.xi
Better balance and fewer falls
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One in three people over 65, and half of those over 80, will experience a fall each
year.xii
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Regular movement reduces fall risk.xiii
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Strength and balance training can lower that risk even more.xiv
Stronger bones through menopause
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A drop in oestrogen, which happens during menopause, can weaken bones,
increasing fracture risk.
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Strength and weight-bearing movements (e.g. running, dancing) help improve bone
density in postmenopausal women.xv
A note on references: if you use any of the stats above you don’t need to include the
reference in a footnote, but you should be able to provide it if asked for it.
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Physical Activity; applying All Our Health [Internet]. Office for Health
Improvement and Disparities; 2022 [cited 09 Jan 2025]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physicalactivity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health
i
Rehfeld, K., Lüders, A., Hökelmann, A., Lessmann, V., Kaufmann, J., Brigadski, T., Müller, P., & Müller, N. G. (2018). Dance
training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly. PloS one, 13(7), e0196636.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196636
ii
Gomes-Osman, J., Cabral, D. F., Morris, T. P., McInerney, K., Cahalin, L. P., Rundek, T., Oliveira, A., & Pascual-Leone, A.
(2018). Exercise for cognitive brain health in aging: A systematic review for an evaluation of dose. Neurology. Clinical
practice, 8(3), 257–265. https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000460)
iii
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Physical Activity; applying All Our Health [Internet]. Office for Health
Improvement and Disparities; 2022 [cited 09 Jan 2025]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physicalactivity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health
iv
v Eidam, A., Durga, J., Bauer, J.M. et al. Interventions to prevent the onset of frailty in adults aged 60
and older (PRAE-Frail): a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Eur Geriatr Med 15, 1169–
1185 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-024-01013-x
vi NICE Guideline (2015), Dementia, disability and frailty in later life – mid-life approaches to delay or
prevent onset
D'Onofrio, G., Kirschner, J., Prather, H., Goldman, D., & Rozanski, A. (2023). Musculoskeletal exercise: Its role in promoting
health and longevity. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 77, 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2023.02.006
vii
Wanjau MN, Möller H, Haigh F, Milat A, Hayek R, Lucas P, Veerman JL. Physical Activity and Depression and Anxiety
Disorders: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Assessment of Causality. AJPM Focus. 2023 Feb 4;2(2):100074. doi:
10.1016/j.focus.2023.100074. PMID: 37790636; PMCID: PMC10546525.
viii
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Physical Activity; applying All Our Health [Internet]. Office for Health
Improvement and Disparities; 2022 [cited 09 Jan 2025]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physicalactivity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health
ix
Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Negrean V, Orășan OH, Vesa SC, Sălăgean O, Iluţ S, Vlaicu SI. Cardiovascular Risk Factors and
Physical Activity for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Elderly. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec
25;19(1):207. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010207. PMID: 35010467; PMCID: PMC8751147
x
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Physical Activity; applying All Our Health [Internet]. Office for Health
Improvement and Disparities; 2022 [cited 09 Jan 2025]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physicalactivity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health
xi
Department of Health and Social Care. UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines [Internet]. 2019 [cited 30 Jan
25]. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d839543ed915d52428dc134/uk-chief-medical-officersphysical-activity-guidelines.pdf
xii
Sherrington C, Michaleff ZA, Fairhall N, Paul SS, Tiedemann A, Whitney J, Cumming RG, Herbert RD, Close JCT, Lord SR.
Exercise to prevent falls in older adults: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2017
Dec;51(24):1750-1758. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096547. Epub 2016 Oct 4. PMID: 27707740.
xiii
Office for Health Improvement & Disparaties. Falls: Applying All Our Health [Internet]. Office for Health Improvement and
Disparities; 2022 [cited 09 Jan 2025]. Available at; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/falls-applying-all-ourhealth/falls-applying-all-our-health
xiv
Langhammer B, Bergland A, Rydwik E. The Importance of Physical Activity Exercise among Older People. Biomed Res Int.
2018 Dec 5;2018:7856823. doi: 10.1155/2018/7856823. PMID: 30627571; PMCID: PMC6304477.
xv
