The benefits of physical exercise for health have long been known: they reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders, prolong life.

Scientific works of the past, statistics and experience of doctors confidently indicate that mobile exercises of high and medium intensity are best affected by the body.

But which of the hundreds of exercises are most effective?.

A new study makes it clear what is best for health and longevity - tennis!.

These results are based on an analysis of a vast array of data - 11 annual surveys conducted in England and Scotland from 1994 to 2008, involving 80.3 thousand people.

Each participant reported on his physical activity for the past 4 weeks, indicating the type and intensity of the work and / or exercises. The average age of the respondents was 52 years.

The analysis included economic works (for example, gardening) and the most popular sports: swimming, biking, gymnastics / aerobics / dancing, jogging / soccer / rugby, badminton / tennis / squash. They were grouped according to the level of the load.

In general, only 44% of respondents did the recommended physical workload.

Observation continued for an average of 9 years after the first survey. During this time, out of 80.3 thousand participants almost 8.8 thousand died. Among them - 1.9 thousand victims of stroke and heart attack.

What other exercises prolong life?.

Taking into account all sorts of accompanying factors, the scientists compiled a list of the most useful types of physical activity.

In comparison with the sedentary lifestyle, the risk of participants' death from cardiovascular events decreased as follows:.

- 47% of racket fans.

- 28% for swimming lovers.

- by 27% with aerobics classes.

- by 15% among cyclists To the surprise of the authors, the most useful exercises were badminton, tennis and squash.

No less controversy was caused by the fact that running, rugby and football turned out to be outsiders of the rating. The inexorable statistics show that these sports almost do not affect the risk of heart attack and stroke.

When the runners were compared to the hypodynamic peers, everything looked rosy: the risk was 43%!.

But as soon as the analysis included other factors (for example, the initial state of health), the preventive effect of this sport instantly evaporated.

Simply put, runners live longer than lazy people, if they were initially healthier.

As for rugby and football, experts expressed a curious hypothesis. This seasonal sports, which are not all fans are engaged in the winter. Perhaps the long seasonal breaks in training influenced the final results of the study.

How does intensity affect the benefits of exercise?.

When the authors decided to study the effect of exercise intensity, the answer was obvious.

The higher the intensity, the better for the heart. To a certain point. When the intensity of training reaches this peak, its further increase harms health and longevity.

Thus, the dependence of benefit on exercise intensity is an inverted U-shaped curve. Little - bad.

A lot - too bad.

The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Although the results are very interesting, the authors themselves urge them to approach them cautiously.

These figures are based on the analysis of a small number of deaths, so the error is not excluded.

Details of the intriguing research are published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine".

medbe. en.

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