Good fitness in your 30s may shape artery health decades later

May 27, 2026

A new study from Karolinska Institutet finds that people with good physical fitness in their 30s and 50s have more elastic arteries decades later. Published in Scientific Reports, the research shows that higher aerobic capacity at age 34 predicts less arterial stiffness at age 63, independent of cholesterol levels and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors .

The study followed 425 Swedish adults examined at ages 34, 52, and 63. Researchers measured fitness using cycle ergometer tests and assessed arterial stiffness non-invasively at age 63. The association between early-life fitness and later vascular health remained strong even after accounting for blood pressure, body weight, smoking, and cholesterol. Notably, neither regular cholesterol nor advanced HDL cholesterol measures could predict arterial stiffness .

These findings highlight that regular physical activity from early adulthood has long-termeffects on cardiovascular health that aren’t captured by blood lipids alone. Since arterial stiffening is an early sign of increased risk for heart attack and stroke, maintaining good fitness starting in your 30s may significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk later in life. The researchers are planning a follow-up at age 68 to study how fitness changes over time affect vascular health. Medical Xpress