4th Edition 2026

Older adults benefit from exercising with people in their local area

Published on: May 07, 2025

A new study led by the University of Glasgow and published in PLOS One has found that adults aged 55 to 75 in Scotland are more likely to exercise with others of a similar age who live nearby and whom they see often—regardless of how long they've known them. Interestingly, they were less likely to exercise with long-standing acquaintances, suggesting a preference for convenience and proximity over deep or long-term relationships when it comes to physical activity.

Older men exercising together in a swimming pool

The research, part of the Physical Activity, Social Connectedness and Healthy Ageing Study (PACES), offers a unique look into the social factors that influence people to engage in physical activity together. The study's authors believe these findings could help shape future health and wellbeing policies for older adults in Scotland.

Physical activity is essential at every stage of life, but especially so for older adults. It can reduce the risk of age-related health issues, delay the onset of diseases and disabilities, and help individuals maintain a better quality of life.

Despite its benefits, physical activity tends to decline with age. In Scotland, just 58% of adults aged 55–64 and only 55% of those aged 65–74 meet the UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines.

Social relationships are known to play a key role in motivating people to stay active. Previous studies have shown that adults with more friends and social contacts—especially those who are also active—are more likely to engage in physical activity themselves.

Martin Anderson, lead author and Research Associate at the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, explained:
Our findings suggest that having a wide circle of close friends or long-term relationships may not be necessary for encouraging physical activity among older adults. Instead, people in this age group are just as likely to be active with peers they encounter frequently within their local communities. This challenges the assumption that strong social ties are required for physical engagement and highlights the potential of community-based interventions to promote shared physical activity.

Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_1174568_en.html

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