Sweat it out early to stay slim later

NEW YORK: Those who exercise regularly through their early adulthood to their 40s are more likely to remain slim as they age.

According to a new study by researchers at Northwestern University, those who reported at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise a day were more than twice as likely to maintain a stable body mass imdex (BMI) over 20 years.

BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

The study found that when regular exercisers did gain weight, they put on about six kg less over 20 years than those with consistently low activity.

Though it is widely known that exercise prevents weight gain, this is one of the first studies to examine the relationship between activity and weight over a long period of time.

"The results will hopefully encourage young people to become more active and to maintain high activity over a lifetime," said Arlene Hankinson, lead author of the study.

The findings of the study were presented Monday at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Florida.