More reasons to get active are being highlighted by physical activity campaign, The People’s Movement, after new research shows that exercise can make you look younger!

People in Sheffield are being urged to increase their physical activity after a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine researchers at King’s College, London, and at a leading US Institute in Baltimore* studied the ageing of 2400 sets of twins and found there was a difference of around nine years of aging between those who exercised and those who didn’t.

The research measures the length of telomeres, which cap the chromosomes in cells and protect them from damage. As these telomeres shorten with age and more damage occurs, the study found that people who kept active had longer telomeres than those who didn’t do as much exercise.

The People’s Movement aims to make people aware that physical activity can be fun and it shouldn’t be a gruelling task. The new research mirrors this theory and states that just three hours of exercise per week can slow the aging process down and give you a body 10 years younger than someone that rarely exercises.

Councillor Mike Pye, Cabinet Advisor for Culture at Sheffield City Council, said: “This new research is an added incentive for people to want to increase their physical activity levels. Obviously there are many benefits of physical activity, but this benefit is a real motivator to people in Sheffield, and The People’s Movement are here to help them feel and look healthier.”

Anyone who would like more information on how they can increase their physical activity can visit www.thepeoplesmovement.co.uk.