A recent Finnish study shows that adults who remain physically active throughout adulthood have a significantly lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome at age 61 than those whose leisure-time physical activity remains low. Notably, the findings also indicate that taking up physical activity later in life can still be beneficial. In particular, physical activity in early to late adulthood—especially muscle-strengthening exercise—may help reduce the health risks linked to earlier inactivity.
The study is part of a long-running longitudinal research project conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, which has followed the same participants for over 50 years. In this analysis, researchers examined leisure-time physical activity patterns among 159 participants at ages 27, 42, 50, and 61, alongside assessments of their cardiometabolic health at age 61. The primary outcome of interest was the presence of metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that tend to occur together, including increased waist circumference, high blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism, and unhealthy blood lipid levels. Having metabolic syndrome substantially raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, making it an important indicator of long-term metabolic health.
Across the 34-year follow-up period, the researchers identified three distinct trajectories of leisure-time physical activity. One group was consistently active, exercising several times a week from early adulthood onwards. A second group became increasingly active over time, reaching activity levels similar to those of the consistently active group by midlife. The third group was consistently inactive, engaging in leisure-time physical activity no more than once a week throughout adulthood.
Apparent differences emerged when the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was compared between these groups. Individuals who were consistently inactive had nearly a fourfold risk of metabolic syndrome in early and late adulthood compared with those who were consistently active. Those who increased their activity over time had an intermediate risk, at roughly twice that of the consistently active group. However, these differences decreased after accounting for participants’ current engagement in various types of physical activity at age 61, suggesting that recent behaviour plays an important role.
Postdoctoral Researcher Tiina Savikangas notes that while long-term physical activity is strongly associated with better metabolic health in later life, the findings also highlight the value of being active in older age. Muscle-strengthening activities, in particular, appear to make a meaningful contribution to metabolic health, even among those who were less active earlier in adulthood.
Analysis of individual components of metabolic syndrome showed that long-term leisure-time physical activity was associated with a smaller waist circumference and a more favourable lipid profile. These associations also weakened after accounting for current physical activity. Participants who regularly engaged in muscle-strengthening exercise and active commuting had higher levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol, and those who performed strength training tended to have a smaller waist circumference than those who did not.
Overall, the findings reinforce the idea that physical activity supports metabolic health across the entire lifespan. While staying active from early adulthood offers clear advantages, the study also delivers an encouraging message: adopting or increasing physical activity later in life can still provide essential health benefits, and it is never too late to start.
More information: Tiina Savikangas et al, Leisure-Time Physical Activity Trajectories across Adulthood and Cardiometabolic Risk at the Beginning of Late Adulthood – A Prospective Cohort Study, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003883
Journal information: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Provided by University of Jyväskylä – Jyväskylän yliopisto
