Runners can live on average three years longer than those who do not like to run.
This is evidenced by the results of a new study conducted in the US.
The results of a 15-year observation of runners suggest that any of us can benefit from even a slow run of just a few minutes a day.
"People need to run for many reasons. I hope this study will motivate more people to start running and continue these exercises to improve their health and fitness, "says study author Duck-chul Lee, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Iowa.
It is not entirely clear whether the lengthening of life is directly related to the habit of running around. Scientists, by virtue of the nature of their research, could only demonstrate a strong link between running and longer life expectancy. They admit that there may be other reasons why runners live longer. For example, people who run regularly can generally lead a healthier lifestyle. The researchers tried to include in their work as many secondary factors as possible.
Modern American guidelines recommend adults for 75 minutes of running or other intense aerobic exercise per week, or for 30 minutes of moderate intensity loading every other day, most days in a week.
But, according to a new study, people who are doing far less than this rate can still get significant health benefits.
Running at a moderate speed of less than 51 minutes per week (a distance of less than 6 miles at a speed of less than 6 miles per hour) is also associated with significant health benefits compared to the lack of running in general. The authors of this work write in a new issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
It turned out that lazy people can get almost as much benefit from running as many fanatical runners.
If you run less than an hour a week, then reduce your risk of death in the same way as athletes running every week for more than 3 hours. And this with a minimum of time and effort.
The study included more than 55,000 adults aged 18 to 100 years who were observed for 15 years to identify the link between the habit of running and life expectancy. About ? this group regularly ran.
Participants in the study were asked to complete a questionnaire in which they answered questions about their studies at run, and then the scientists simply recorded deaths throughout the observation period.
It was found that people who did not run at all had an average life expectancy of 3 years less than runners. Regular running was associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of death from any cause and a 45% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular events (stroke, heart attack).
Even the least active runners benefited from their training. Running 30-59 minutes per week (5-10 minutes a day, not every day) was associated with a 28% reduction in the risk of death from any cause and a 58% risk of death from cardiovascular events. Note that the last figure in this group is even better than that of active runners.
"The impact on mortality was approximately the same in all groups that ran at different distances, at different rates," concluded the scientists. The results remained reliable after the addition of factors such as weight, smoking, drinking and the presence of diseases.
But in order to benefit from exercise, runners should not interrupt their studies. It turned out that people who run regularly for an average of 6 years, get the maximum benefit from their studies.
Apparently, the key to longevity in these cases is the improvement of cardiac and pulmonary function. The runners participating in the study had an average of 30% better physical shape, and their shape was better, the more they did.
Dr. Michael Scott Emery, co-chairman of the Board of Cardiology of Sports and Exercise of the American College of Cardiology (American College of Cardiology), finds it surprising that "only 5-10 minutes of running have such a big impact on health".
Dr. Emery, who also works as a cardiologist in Greenville, South Carolina, says: "This shows that it's enough to just get yourself to get up and do something, even if that does not fit modern guidelines. Even if it's a little more than zero ".
But the doctor notes that running involves a greater risk of injury than ordinary walking.
To the possible consequences, he refers problems with joints, stretching, pain in the lower back and muscles. In his opinion, people can get similar benefits for the heart if they just walk, only for long distances.
"Running is associated with a greater possibility of injuries, but walking requires more time. You must find a suitable option for yourself, your own balance. Running is a very intense activity, so it is recommended that inactive people start small to avoid injury, "the doctor concluded..
medbe. en.