Study faces up to lack of exercise

Scientists have released images of how lack of exercise impacts on people’s faces.

Researchers created the images of how three people would look in five years, 10 years and 20 years if they did less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week.

They also created faces which had benefited from 30 minutes or more of physical exercise five, 10 and 20 years into the future.

Researchers at the University of St Andrews took into account the average weight gain in line with age to develop a picture of the effect no exercise had on the face.

The research was conducted as part of Active Nation, an initiative encouraging people in Scotland to get more exercise in the lead-up to Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games and beyond.

Researcher Ross Whitehead said: “The aim of this study was to highlight that an active lifestyle can benefit appearance, in addition to health.

“By looking at the height and weight of the three volunteers, and the consequences of exercising versus not exercising for facial appearance, we were able to build an image of how they would appear in five, 10 and 20 years.”

A team of 10 people used computer software developed by researchers at the university for the project.

Scientists from the university’s Perception Lab simulated the effects that not exercising had on an individual’s appearance based on a projected weight gain on average of 0.55kg for women each year and 0.74kg for men.

Neck and jowls are the most affected with saggy, loose skin while the forehead and eye area is fatter.

Lisa Thomson, 20, from Springboig in Glasgow, Richard McIntosh, 30, from Leith in Edinburgh, and Catherine Duffy, 43, from Cumbernauld in Lanarkshire, agreed to take part in the study.

Mother-of-one Ms Thomson said: “I’ve never thought about the damage I could do to my looks further down the line. It’s quite scary to see the difference.

“I know I’m not doing enough at the moment but this has given me a kick to get started.

“I love spending on my hair, make-up and clothes, so it’s about time I invest in the inside as well as the outside.” Mr McIntosh, a fitness enthusiast from Edinburgh, said: “I was really shocked to see the difference that not exercising could have on my appearance.

“When you are young you tend not to think about what you will look like in 20 years time, but seeing it in front of you is definitely the motivation needed to keep me active.”