Research
Adherence
Physical activity prevents the age-associated increase in intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and preserves strength, independent of changes in muscle mass.
Engaging in regular physical activity is a proven strategy to prevent the accumulation of fat within muscles (myosteatosis) as you age. This preservation of muscle quality helps maintain strength and mobility, even if overall muscle size decreases slightly.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Physical activity prevented the age-associated loss of strength, but this finding could not be explained by the prevention of loss of muscle mass. While both groups lost muscle mass, imaging in the control group at 'one year of aging,' showed an average 17% increase in IMAT. The physical activity group showed no apparent increase in IMAT but a significant attenuation.
Why this rating
Based on the LIFE pilot study with randomized control design.
Source
Myosteatosis in the Context of Skeletal Muscle Function Deficit: An Interdisciplinary Workshop at the National Institute on Aging
Rosaly Correa‐de‐Araujo et al. · Frontiers in Physiology · 2020
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2020.00963
narrative_reviewCited 431×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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Related findings · Adherence
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- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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