Exercise Promotes Bone Health

In that a strong potential for physical exercise to beneficially impact disease risk factors and promote disease prevention, particularly in aging men and women, Wolfgang Kemmler, from Freidrich-Alexander University (Erlangen, Germany), and colleagues analyzed data on 246 older women who were enrolled in the Senior Fitness and Prevention (SEFIP) Study.  The researchers found that those women who exercised had higher bone density in their spine and hip, and also had a 66% reduced rate of falls. Fractures due to falls were twice as common in the controls versus the exercise group (twelve versus six incidents).  Finding that: “Compared with a general wellness program, our 18-month exercise program significantly improved [bone mineral density] and fall risk,” the team notes that: “This benefit occurred at no increase in direct costs.”