Aug 15, 2008

Run and Live Longer


Running on a regular basis can slow down the effects of ageing. A study published in the recent issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reveals this fact. The study also points that regular jogging, or any consistent aerobic exercise in middle age and late in life may reduce people's risk of disabilities and and disease conditions like cancer.

This ongoing study was started two decades ago, in 1984 by the Stanford University Medical Center team. It tracked 538 people who run regularly and 423 people who never run in their life. Most of the runners in this study were selected from a national running club, while the control group of never runners were drawn from the faculty and staff at Stanford University. All participants in this study were age 50 or older when the study began. Besides their exercise habits, the two group of people were demographically matched, with similarity in lifestyle habits, ethnicity and physical characteristics like weight.

Now the results of the study shows that about 34% of the non-runners had died compared to only 15% of the runners. Both the groups became more disabled with age, but in case of the runners the onset of disability started an average of 16 years later. Running not only appeared to slow the rate of heart and artery related deaths in old age, but also resulted in fewer early deaths from cancer, neurological disease, infections and other causes.

This Stanford University study delivers a pro-exercise message and once again proves that exercise is important for a good health. So, what to live a healthy life? Run regularly and if not possible, at least go for aerobic exercise.

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