Moving, Eating and Living Well: Three Foundations for Healthy Ageing

Healthy ageing is not about following a perfect diet or completing intense workouts. It is about supporting the body and mind through small, sustainable actions. Movement, nutrition and everyday routines can all help us preserve strength, independence and wellbeing as we grow older.

Moving well: protecting strength and independence

From midlife onwards, muscle strength, bone density, balance and aerobic capacity can gradually change. Long-term research has identified declines in grip strength, balance and walking speed, particularly at older ages, while aerobic capacity may fall more quickly in later life. Conditions such as osteoarthritis also become more common.

These patterns describe average changes across groups; they do not mean that losing independence is inevitable. Understanding how the body changes can help us choose realistic ways to maintain strength, confidence and everyday function.

Why strength-based movement matters

Strength and resistance training is a cornerstone of active and healthy ageing - and it does not mean becoming a bodybuilder! Resistance exercise can also improve strength and physical functioning, which may make everyday activities such as rising from a chair, carrying shopping and climbing stairs easier. For preventing falls, the strongest evidence supports programmes that combine strength with balance and functional exercises.

Research Spotlight: Strength and Longevity

A 30-year observational study found that adults reporting 90-119 minutes of resistance training each week had a 13% lower relative risk of death from any cause than those reporting none. The association was strongest when resistance and aerobic activity were combined (Zhang et al., 2026).

A closer look: how the body adapts

When muscles work against resistance, the body responds by repairing and strengthening them. Regular strength-based movement also encourages the body to maintain and rebuild bone. Over time, this can support stronger muscles and bones, making everyday movement easier.

Make it work for you

Activities can be completed standing or seated, divided into shorter periods and adjusted to your energy and mobility. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or unusual shortness of breath. Speak to a healthcare professional before starting a new activity if you have concerns about your health, balance or mobility.

Eating well: nourishing the ageing body

As we grow older, the body may require less energy because of changes in activity and muscle mass, but it still needs plenty of nutrients. This makes the quality and variety of food particularly important. Rather than following a restrictive diet, the aim is to choose nutrient-rich foods that support the muscles, bones, brain, digestion and immune system.

What does your body need and why?

• Protein. Protein is broken down into amino acids, which are used to maintain and repair muscle. Older muscles may become less responsive to protein - a process called anabolic resistance - so including protein regularly across meals can be particularly valuable. Protein and resistance exercise work together to support strength and physical function.

• Calcium and vitamin D. Calcium provides building material for bones, while vitamin D helps the gut absorb calcium and supports normal muscle function. Because bone density may decline and the skin may become less efficient at producing vitamin D with age, maintaining both nutrients is important. The NHS recommends that everyone consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily during autumn and winter, or throughout the year if they are rarely outdoors, housebound or living in a care home.

• Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supports healthy red blood cells, the nervous system and DNA production. Some older adults produce less stomach acid, which can make it harder to release and absorb B12 from food, although this does not affect everyone. Risk may also be higher for people taking certain medicines or following a vegan diet.

• Fibre and fluids. Fibre adds bulk to stools and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. This is useful because constipation may become more common owing to reduced movement, medicines or dietary changes. Fibre should be increased gradually and accompanied by enough fluid. As thirst may become a less reliable signal with age, drinking regularly rather than waiting to feel thirsty can help prevent dehydration.

Putting nourishment into practice

The examples below show how familiar foods can contribute to different areas of health. They are suggestions rather than rules: dietary needs, preferences, culture, access and appetite will differ from person to person.

Small appetite? Try smaller meals and nutrient-rich snacks, include a source of protein with meals, and use convenient options such as frozen vegetables, tinned fish, beans, yoghurt or fortified cereals.

When to seek advice: Speak to your GP or a registered dietitian if you experience unexplained weight loss, difficulty swallowing or a significant loss of appetite. Personalised advice is also important if kidney disease or another condition affects what you should eat or drink.

Living well: supporting the whole of you

If we go back to the definition of healthy ageing: developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age (WHO, 2020). This includes being able to meet our needs, make decisions, maintain relationships, contribute to society and, importantly, continue being and doing what we value.

Moving well and eating well can help protect these abilities - but living well is not only about everything our bodies can do. It is also about remaining connected to who we are, what matters to us and what makes life feel meaningful. Without that connection, simply being able to “do more” may not necessarily help us feel fulfilled. Healthy ageing therefore means supporting the whole person: our body, relationships, identity, interests, values and sense of purpose.

Here are some questions to help you reflect on what living well means to you:

Moving forward, one small step at a time

Healthy ageing does not mean avoiding every change that comes with age or following a “perfect” routine. It means supporting our functional ability so that we can continue meeting our needs, adapting to change and doing the things that matter to us.

Moving our bodies, eating nourishing foods and staying connected to our identity and purpose can all contribute to living well. However, healthy ageing will look different for everyone. Begin with one realistic action: perhaps adding some gentle movement, including protein in a meal, accepting support that makes life easier or making time for something that helps you feel like yourself. Small choices, repeated consistently, can help protect not only our health and independence, but the life we want those abilities to support.

A question to carry forward:

What is one small change I could make this week to support the life that matters to me?

References

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