Older people 'make effort to keep fit'

The majority of older people are making an effort to remain fit and healthy, findings show.

A survey by Simplyhealth found that 78 per cent of over-70s try to keep physically fit, with around a fifth claiming they do everything possible to stay healthy.

This compares to just 13 per cent of over-60s and eight per cent of over-55s who say the same.

In addition, almost 45 per cent over over-70s said that if healthy living was more affordable, it would assist their efforts to remain healthy.

However, over a fifth of this age group said they feel that healthcare companies discriminate against them, focusing only on younger people, excluding them from promotions.

Clare Lee from Simplyhealth said: "Our research shows that older people want to achieve a healthy lifestyle but want companies to provide more encouragement to attend health appointments."

This comes after scientists from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania found that walking six miles per week can cut the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

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