"Even exercise of short duration and low intensity has life expectancy benefits for the elderly. Such conclusions have been well examined in the general population where a recommended exercise program of  minutes at least five days a week or  minutes per week has been shown to reduce the average risk of death by  percent. However such a correlation between the level of physical activity and risk of death has not been so clearly determined in the elderly. Indeed most physical activity guidelines are the same for the middleaged adults as for the elderly even though it is estimated that over  of the elderly are unable to achieve this same level of exercise. Now a study in a French cohort of more than  elderly subjects the PROOF study has found a negative correlation between their level of physical activity and risk of allcause death suggesting that in the elderly as in other population groups the risk of death decreases with greater and more regular exercise. The results of the study are presented today at EuroPRevent  by Dr David Hupin from the Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology at the University Hospital of StEtienneLyon France. Subjects were enrolled in the study at age  in  and followedup for  years. During that followup their level of physical activity was monitored and categorised according to five levels of METh values per week  . . equivalent to brisk walking for up to  minutes per week and the recommended activity level . and  METh per week. Mortality and cardiovascular events were recorded over the followup period and associated with exercise levels. Results showed that around  of the eligible cohort died during the followup period. However the risk of death was calculated to be  lower in those whose activity level was equal to or higher than the recommended  minutes per week . METh per week. And furthermore those doing a very low level of physical activity per week . METhweek had  lower risk of death than those doing the very minimum  METhweek. These differences in risk were statistically significant. There were other significant findings too  notably that starting or restarting physical activity during retirement reduced the risk of death by twothirds but in contrast any reduction even in low levels of activity exposed the elderly to a higher risk of death. In commenting on the results Dr Hupin said several conclusions might be drawn but notably that the level of physical activity in the elderly was negatively associated with mortality rate in a dosedependent way and that even a low level of exercise below current recommendations had some protective effect. As a simple rule for the elderly Dr Hupin recommended that at least  minutes of physical activity for five days a week would be a suitable first target for the elderly. This could include brisk walking cycling swimming or gymnastics he suggested all possibly associated with leisure time physical activity or daily life activities. Dr Hupin emphasised that the widespread acceptance of this message would encourage more elderly people to include even low doses of physical activity in their usual daily activities without experiencing high levels of fatigue or of pain. This message should be relayed by general practitioners who play a key and essential role in promoting exercise behaviour in the elderly he said. Even a little is good and more may be better. The findings from this PROOF study were confirmed in a metaanalysis preformed by the same group and reported at this same EuroPRevent congress. This analysis drawing on data involving almost  subjects found that lowdose moderatetovigorous physical activity  of say  minutes per week or  minutes per day  significantly reduced mortality in the elderly. Based on the results Dr Hupin said that a revision of the recommendations for physical activity in the elderly may thus be warranted and beneficial  low dose physical activity can significantly reduce mortality. In this metaanalysis a low dose of activity resulted in a mortality rate reduction of .  Did you want to tweet about our congress  if you do please use the official Europrevent hashtag Thank you Notes for editors . Hupin D Roche F Gremeaux V et al. Relation between physical activity and morbimortality of elderly people the Proof cohort study. Presented at EuroPRevent  Lisbon. . METs or metabolic equivalents are a measure of physiological measure expressing the energy cost of physical activities. One MET is defined as a rate of oxygen consumption of . mlkgmin in adults which is the rate of oxygen expended at rest. Different activities have been associated with different MET intensity. The MET dose is determined by three components of physical activity intensity MET duration hour and frequency per week. . Hupin D Roche F Gremeaux et al. Lowdose physical activity reduces mortality in the elderly. A systematic review and metaanalysis. Presented at EuroPRevent  Lisbon. About EuroPRevent  EuroPRevent  the worlds leading congress in preventive cardiology is organised by the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation EACPR an association of the European Society of Cardiology from  to  May in Lisbon. About the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention  Rehabilitation EACPR  The European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention  Rehabilitation EACPR is a registered branch of the ESC. Its aim is to promote excellence in research practice education and policy in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation in Europe. 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