Exercise offers many benefits to people as they age because it prevents or delays many age-related physical diseases and disorders and helps maintain function. Regular physical activity is known to help prevent coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, depression, and some cancers. Physical conditioning can also improve the quality of life as a person grows older by helping an individual retain the self-reliance and independence that are drastically altered by the effects of diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis.