Many studies have been conducted on young and middle aged adults showing the substantial benefits of dietary modifications and exercise addition to one's lifestyle. Unfortunately, far fewer studies exist for the elderly. Now, results from a new study indicate these benefits are also significant in the elderly. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 27 sedentary obese men and women aged 65 were randomly assigned to a diet and exercise program. Those elderly subjects who were assigned to the diet and exercise program significantly lowered their bodyweight, blood pressure, blood sugar and bad blood triglycerides. More specifically, those elderly who were assigned to the diet and exercise program lost an average of 18 pounds and experienced an 59 percent decrease in metabolic syndrome (a collection of conditions that increase an individual's risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease) as compared to the control group who did not participate in the diet and exercise program.