Study Warns: Fitness, Strength Decline Begins at 35; Exercise Still Key

• A rare long-term study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, reveals that physical performance, strength, and endurance begin to decline around age 35.
• The Swedish Physical Activity and Fitness (SPAF) study tracked individuals for nearly half a century, repeatedly measuring the same participants over decades.
• Results indicate that fitness and muscular strength decline in the mid-thirties, regardless of earlier activity levels, with the trend accelerating with age.
• The study emphasizes that exercise remains effective even when started later in life, with midlife exercisers improving capacity by 5-10%.
• Lead author Maria Westerståhl states it's never too late to start moving, as physical activity can delay, soften, and improve the impact of aging.

Why It Matters: Physical decline starts at 35, but consistent exercise at any age significantly slows its impact.