and breathe hard, may be better than moderate exercise when it comes
to living longer, researchers said Monday. The study by Australian
researchers is based on more than 200,000 adults over age 45, and is
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Internal Medicine. The study participants were followed for more than
six years.
Those who did jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis -- vigorous
exercise for 30 percent of their weekly workouts -- had a mortality
rate that was nine to 13 percent lower than those who did moderate
exercise, like swimming, social tennis, or household chores. "The
benefits of vigorous activity applied to men and women of all ages,
and were independent of the total amount of time spent being active,"
said lead author Klaus Gebel from James Cook University's Centre for
Chronic Disease Prevention.
"The results indicate that whether or not you are obese, and whether
or not you have heart disease or diabetes, if you can manage some
vigorous activity it could offer significant benefits for longevity."
Currently, the World Health Organization urges adults to do at least
150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity
per week.
But the current research suggests that given the choice, people should
opt for some higher intensity exercise if they can, and if their
doctor agrees, the study authors said. "Our research indicates that
even small amounts of vigorous activity could help reduce your risk of
early death," Gebel said. "For those with medical conditions, for
older people in general, and for those who have never done any
vigorous activity or exercise before, it's always important to talk to
a doctor first."
No comments:
Post a Comment