Overall, physical activity was associated with lower rates of cardiovascular diseases.
But after further analysis, the authors found that at least 20 minutes of exercise every day among people aged 70 to 75 seemed to provide the greatest benefits.
The protective benefit seemed to reduce as people aged which “suggests greater cardiovascular benefits might be achieved by improving physical activity earlier in late life,” the team of Italian researchers said.
In a linked editorial, titled “Physical activity in older people: better late than never, but better early than late”, academics said that the study showed that “movement is medicine” in late life.
They added: “Even a small amount of physical activity may confer beneficial effects in older people, but if undertaken early rather than late.”