REGULAR EXERCISE BENEFITS SENIORS, STUDY FINDS.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

Seniors who exercise regularly feel years younger and have a better chance of leading longer, independent lives than their sedentary peers, according to a 20-year study released Monday.

Researchers involved with the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging found that while the capacity for aerobic exercise declines steadily as a person ages, an active lifestyle can slow the process.

``By participating in a training program, you can raise your aerobic capacity 15 (percent) to 25 percent, which in our study would be equivalent to being 10 (years) to 20 years younger,'' said lead researcher Dr. Jerome L. Fleg.

``Over time, your aerobic capacity will decline, but at any given age someone who exercises will have a higher capacity than someone who is a couch potato.''

Aerobic capacity, or the amount of oxygen the body consumes during exercise, declines 3 percent to 6 percent per decade in people in their 20s and 30s, but falls more than 20 percent in those in their 70s and beyond, the study found.

Men tended to lose more aerobic capacity as they approached their 40s, losing up to 8.3 percent. The study did not look at the correlation between exercise and longevity.

``This translates into frailty and difficulty with independent living,'' Fleg said. ``For example, if you use 75 percent or more of your aerobic capacity just to make the beds or climb the stairs, you will be quite fatigued trying to do these activities on a regular basis.''

Researchers followed more than 800 healthy, upper-middle-class women and men between the ages of 21 and 87, from 1978 to 1998, who went in for regular physical examinations. Each person's aerobic capacity was tested every four years between those years. Fleg said the study was significant because it shows that aerobic capacity declines even in those who are health-conscious.

Chatsworth resident Dixie Smith stopped attending her aquatic aerobics classes for a few months at the Warner Center's LA Fitness, and said she felt the impact on her muscles.

``It was hard,'' admitted the 66-year-old woman as she practiced some moves in the pool. ``If you are a diabetic like me, you're suppose to exercise. I feel better when I do.''

For Tarzana resident Patty Shannem, the exercises also give her some peace of mind.

``I do it more for my sanity,'' the 60-year-old woman said. ``I do it to feel better. It's been invaluable to me.''

Their instructor, Charlene Hopkins, said she has taught aquatic aerobics for 25 years, and has seen people in their 80s still complete the routines as they had when they were years younger.

``The people who come to the classes regularly keep up with it,'' she said. ``I'm 47 years old, and I'm planning to do this until I'm in my 80s or as far as I can go.''

At the Bernardi Multipurpose Senior Center in Van Nuys, exercise classes have proved popular, with at least 40 people participating in various programs.

``The benefits of exercise is the body is made of muscles throughout and it is important to keep the body in shape,'' said Shirley Ann Hoffacker, a gerontologist for the Bernardi center. ``Without strong muscles, you weaken and everything becomes more difficult to do.''

At Bernardi, seniors in class are more likely to care about nutrition, socialize more and, as a result, have better self-esteem.

Results of the ongoing study, which is funded by the National Institute of Aging, will appear in the upcoming issue of Circulation, the American Heart Association's journal.

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com