This Is One Of The Best Things You Can Do For Your Bones As You Age, Study Finds

The older we get, the more we have to pay close attention to our bone health to prevent things like fractures and breaks. Namely, bone density starts to decrease after middle age, with osteoporosis impacting one of every three women and one of every five men1 ages 50 and up.

For this study, researchers wanted to understand the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD), body fat percentage, and physical versus sedentary lifestyles. As the study authors note, sedentary activity and physical activity are known to impact both skeletal parameters and body fat percentage.

And was what may come as no surprise, a sedentary lifestyle was associated with a higher body fat percentage. But it was also associated with worse bone density, relative to the more physically active participants.

Those physically active participants not only showed lower body fat but also greater bone density.

"Our results show that physical activity is a key component of maintaining bone health in both men and women and is strongly associated with lower body fat percentages," the study authors write, adding, "Sedentary activity is negatively correlated with bone density and is strongly associated with an increase in body fat percentage."

It can feel daunting to suddenly start a new workout routine or become a gym rat, but this research isn't saying you have to be a full-blown athlete—you just want to avoid being sedentary and prioritize getting enough movement.