Even if you are just starting to exercise after age 40, can still greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, suggests a study in the current issue of Heart.

German researchers interviewed 312 people from 40 to 68 years of age who had coronary artery disease and 479 healthy people in the same age group. Participants were asked about their level of physical activity at early adulthood (between 20 and 39) and late adulthood (after age 40).

According to the team from the University of Heidelberg, about half of people who have heart disease and 70 percent of the healthy volunteers said they had been moderately or very physically active during early adulthood and late adulthood.

People who had been physically active all their lives were about 60 percent less likely to have coronary artery disease. They also found that people who became active after age 40 were about 55 percent less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than people who had been inactive all their lives.

Although it was more likely that people who exercised throughout their lives to enjoy better health, these findings suggest that start exercising later in life still offers many benefits and can reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the authors concluded the study.