Researchers from England's Peninsula Medical School in Exeter want you to know you better "use it or lose it." But you don't really have to lose it to use it, so to speak. The British study showed a direct link between levels of physical activity in middle age and physical ability later in life - regardless of body weight.

The team, headed by Dr Iain Lang from the Epidemiology and Public Health Group, found that middle-aged people who maintained a reasonable level of physical activity were less likely to have mobility problems in later years including unable to walk longer distances, climb stairs, maintain balance, stand from a seated position with arms folded, or sustain their hand grip.

The research showed that among men and women aged 50 to 69 and across all weight ranges (even the pudgy ones), the rate of decreased physical ability later in life was twice as high among those who were less physically active.

Although being overweight or obese was associated with an overall increased risk of physical impairment, people who engaged in heavy housework or gardening, played some sort of sport or had a physically active job, regardless of weight, were more likely to remain mobile later in life.

Less than 13 per cent of participants who did some sort of activity for 30 minutes three or more times a week developed some sort of physical disability, while the rate increased to 24 per cent for those less active.

Is it just me, or is this one of those "duh" findings? Why does it take a bunch of scientists to tell us being a little active is a good thing?