Study: Stay fit, stay young longer

TORONTO, April 11 (UPI) -- Aerobic fitness can delay biological aging by up to 12 years and prolong independence, a Canadian study says.

An analysis by researchers at the University of Toronto, published online ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, finds relatively high intensity aerobic exercise -- such as jogging -- over a relatively long period boosted aerobic power by 25 percent.

"There seems good evidence that the conservation of maximal oxygen intake increases the likelihood that the healthy elderly person will retain functional independence," study author Dr. Roy Shephard said in a statement.

Aerobic power starts to fall steadily from middle age -- decreasing each decade until it becomes difficult to do very much without severe fatigue, the researchers say.

However, the research shows that robust aerobic exercise over time boosted maximal aerobic power by 25 percent, equivalent to a gain of 10 to 12 biological years.