Participant characteristics on entry into the study
The physical activity levels of the participants varied, with the older group reporting an average of 6.7 h of moderate/intense exercise per week, compared to the young group's reported average of 5.9 h per week. Participants engaged in a range of sports or activities, with jogging more than 5 k, swimming more than 600 m, and gym combining strength and aerobic exercises being the most frequently reported in the young group. In contrast, the older group reported cycling, gym combining strength and aerobic exercises, and hill walking as their most frequently reported activities, with some participants also reporting engaging in less common activities such as ice skating and skydiving (Table 