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Women, Get a Move On Regardless of age, women receive multifaceted health benefits from exercise 
Women of all ages will improve overall health by engaging in regular exercise. It's a benefit that will help improve aging and could increase longevity. But exercise isn't just for the young. Senior women who exercise will benefit physically and psychologically, according to two recent studies. Women age 65 or older who participated in an 18-month intense exercise regimen reduced their risk of falls by two-thirds and had higher bone density in their spines and hips than a comparable group that participated in a well-being program without the physical activity. In different experiment, women age 65 to 75 were divided into two groups to do either resistance training or balance and toning. The resistance group made significant improvements in their scores on tests that showed their ability to mentally focus and to resolve conflict (these women also improved their muscle function). In response to the studies, which appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Dr. Jeff Williamson and Dr. Marco Pahor, University of Florida, Gainesville, say that exercise has previously been linked to beneficial effects on arthritis, falls and fractures, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity "Regular physical activity has also been associated with greater longevity as well as reduced risk of physical disability and dependence, the most important health outcome, even more than death, for most older people," Williamson and Pahor wrote in reaction to the studies. "Since the American population is aging rapidly and nearly a quarter of Americans do not engage in any leisure-time activity, our findings appear to support federal guidelines regarding physical activity to promote health among older people and further emphasize the potential of activity to enhance overall health and well-being with aging."
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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
