People who did more physical activity tended to have a lower biological age on some epigenetic clocks
Published Apr 29, 2026
Methods
Researchers pooled 7 cross-sectional studies covering 145,465 adults, comparing self-reported physical activity levels against four different DNA methylation-based measures of biological age (epigenetic clocks): Horvath, GrimAge, Hannum, and PhenoAge.
Findings
Higher physical activity was linked to a lower biological age on the Horvath and GrimAge clocks, though the association was small. No significant link was found for the Hannum or PhenoAge clocks.
Caveats & Context
Nearly all of the underlying data is cross-sectional — a single snapshot per person — so this shows an association at one point in time, not proof that becoming more active lowers a given person's biological age, or by how much. The four epigenetic clocks disagreed with each other, which is itself a sign these measures are not yet a fully settled way to gauge biological aging. The authors call for longitudinal studies and clinical trials to test whether the relationship is causal.
Physical activity and biological age measured by DNA methylation clocks: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Lancet Healthy Longevity · doi.org/10.1016/j.lanhl.2026.100835