An active, healthy lifestyle is important in preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disorders (like diabetes) and other age-related ailments. Alcohol, smoking, illicit drugs, lack of sleep and lack of exercise are established risk factors for many ailments, including hypertension and osteoporosis.

In comparison with not exercising, maintaining an active lifestyle results in an increase in stroke volume so that even with a lower maximal heart rate there is a significantly larger stroke volume. As such, the active older adult has the advantage of a larger maximal cardiac output.

Additionaslly, a nationwide survey of Germans (1756 men and 2254 women) has found that the micronutrient intake of physically active people was more preferable to that of sedentary individuals, particularly in the intake of vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, folate and vitamin C.

Active persons consumed higher amounts of fruit/vegetable juice, drinking water, milk products (including cheese) fruits, vegetables and vegetable fat. They also had a significantly higher contribution of dietary supplements to their nutrient intake, on average equally 3% of their daily nutrients.