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I doubt I really need to preach the virtues of activity to anyone here, but here’s a look at how Sedentary Lifestyles Associated With Accelerated Aging Process.

Telomere length decreased with age, with an average loss of 21 nucleotides (structural units) per year. Men and women who were less physically active in their leisure time had shorter leukocyte telomeres than those who were more active. …”The mean difference in leukocyte telomere length between the most active [who performed an average of 199 minutes of physical activity per week] and least active [16 minutes of physical activity per week] subjects was 200 nucleotides, which means that the most active subjects had telomeres the same length as sedentary individuals up to 10 years younger, on average.”

Of course, this doesn’t prove that being sedentary causes accelerated aging. There are other actions that these people could all have in common that associate with being sedentary. Nonetheless, there is a hypothesis for how and why activity keeps the aging process at its proper rate.

Oxidative stress–damage caused to cells by exposure to oxygen–and inflammation are likely mechanisms by which sedentary lifestyles shorten telomeres, the authors suggest. In addition, perceived stress levels have been linked to telomere length. Physical activity may reduce psychological stress, thus mitigating its effect on telomeres and the aging process.

This is yet another reason to turn off the TV and get yourself outside. Even if activity in and of itself proves not to do a thing for the aging process (a far-fetched proposition), the quality of life gained from smelling fresh air and moving will be worth it.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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