Older Adults
Eating Well, Staying Fit; photo of vegetables.
Nutrition Quiz for Seniors

Eating a healthy diet is essential for people of every age. But as you age, doing so is especially important. To assess how much you know about good nutrition, take this quiz.

Senior Fitness Quiz

You don't have to be reminded about the aging process. It's inevitable. But just because you're over 50 doesn't mean you can't be fit. Learn more about senior fitness by taking this quiz.

Adult BMI Calculator

Experts are increasingly urging people to know their BMI, a figure that takes into account not just weight but also height to indicate body fat.

Keys to Longevity: Good Food and Active Lifestyle
Seniors and Nutrition

Eating well is important at every age. Good nutrition affects the quality of our lives, helps keep us healthy and helps speed healing if we become ill. Unfortunately, experts say many adults -- especially older adults -- don't get the nutrition they need.

Foods and Aging

Beyond giving you energy to conquer a multitasking day, your diet can help slow the tick-tock of the biological clock that governs the aging process.

For Seniors: How About Losing Weight Today?

Some weight gain is unavoidable, because as the body ages, body fat increases as lean muscle mass and bone mass decrease. Body weight increases until you reach age 60, when it begins to decline.

Seniors and Exercise

Research shows that exercise is safe for most older adults. Even frail seniors and those in their 90s can improve their health with appropriate exercise.

10 Reasons to Keep Fit as You Age

"Physical activity has been engineered out of our daily lives," laments an expert on preventing disease. "We used to rake leaves by hand and walk to the market. Now we have leaf blowers and take the car everywhere." So here is a list of 10 reasons why you should make physical activity a part of your everyday life.

New Pyramid Shapes a Healthier Senior Diet

It is important to control the portion size of even nutrient-rich foods to avoid consuming too many calories. Most people need fewer calories as they grow older and their activity level decreases.

For Seniors: Is Caffeine a Good Thing?

A slew of studies in the last 40 years have addressed coffee's impact on older Americans—especially the effects of caffeine. All in all, the news is good.

Keep Exercising as You Age

The best reason for you to exercise as an older adult is to improve your quality of life and help you maintain your independence.

As You Age, Be Aware of B12 Deficiency

Getting too little vitamin B12 may leave you feeling fuzzy in your thinking and lead to numbness or tingling in your hands and feet.

Exercise for Home Bodies

The experts who tell us we need more exercise agree on one thing. Doing something, they say, is better than doing nothing.

Making Decisions About Fitness

First decide how you can make exercise a priority. One idea: Put your workout on the calendar just like any other appointment.

Give Your Health a Lift

Weight lifting is one of the fastest-growing U.S. fitness activities. And the American Heart Association recently threw its weight behind weight lifting, too.

Gardening in Your Senior Years

Whether the move is to a smaller townhouse, apartment, or assisted living center, physical challenges and a lack of space can confront gardeners.

Fight Cancer with Lifestyle Changes

Obesity, lack of physical activity, and poor nutrition cause about one in three cancer deaths. Only tobacco causes more.

Who's the Coach? You Are!

If you don’t have the time or money to meet with a trainer, just hire yourself to get the job done.

Reading Room
A Look at Senior Nutrition

Although older adults still need plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fiber, they need to add or subtract a few things from the diet they followed earlier in life.

Seniors Can Volunteer Their Way to Fitness

If you try to exercise by yourself, you'll generally come up with any excuse not to do it. With volunteering, you are involved with a group where you have to make a commitment. You're not going to let the group down.

Tune In to Tai Chi

Older adults are learning tai chi to improve their balance and reduce their risk of falling. Tai chi offers an aerobic benefit, too.

Warm-water Exercises for Older Adults

Older adults who want to improve their physical health are turning to warm-water exercise.

Too Old to Exercise? Not True

When you exercise, you gain more strength and flexibility. Your mood will improve, and you'll be able to think better.