Research finds cardio cuts disease, adds life by almost 20%

We all know keeping fit is an essential part of maintaining our physical and mental health, but according to the latest research, regular exercise could extend your lifespan significantly.

The study from the University of South Australia reveals every cardio workout you push yourself through could also reduce your risk of death by 11 to 17 per cent.

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the results of a study measuring changes in cardiorespiratory fitness suggest that for every 1-MET increase (the standard unit of measure) a person can reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 18 per cent.

Senior author, UniSA’s Professor Grant Tomkinson, says that cardiorespiratory fitness is probably the most important type for good health. “Cardiorespiratory fitness (or CRF) is your ability to perform physical activity for a long period of time like running, cycling, and swimming,” explains Tomkinson, a senior author of the study.

The study consisted of 26 systematic reviews, comprising data from each to represent more than 20.9 million observations, making it the first study of its kind to examine the prospective link between cardiorespiratory fitness and adult health outcomes.

“In this study, we found prolonged cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly and consistently associated with all types of premature death and incident disease – spanning heart failure, depression, diabetes, dementia and even cancer.

“We summarised the evidence linking CRF to numerous health outcomes and found that those with low levels of CRF are far more likely to die early or develop chronic conditions like heart disease later in life.”

HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK

According to Justin Lang, adjunct professor at the University of South Australia, the study’s findings are a timely reminder of the importance of regular aerobic exercise, revealing how important a marker of health status our cardiorespiratory fitness really is. “People can make meaningful improvements through additional moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, at least 150 minutes a week, and as they improve their fitness, their risk of death and disease will decline,” Lang says.

“But the onus for improvement should not just sit with the individual, it should also be routinely assessed in clinical and public health practice so that we can support people to improve their health outcomes.”