Exercise vigorously to live longer: study
Vigorous exercise, the kind that makes you sweat, get red in the face, and breathe hard, may be better than moderate exercise when it comes to living longer, states a new research.
The study conducted by Australian researchers took into account more than 2,00,000 adults over the age of 45. It is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine. The participants were followed for more than six years. Those who did vigorous exercises such as jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis had a mortality rate that was nine to 13 per cent lower than those who did moderate exercise, such as swimming or walking.
“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, Queensland, Australia.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) urges adults to indulge in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. But this research suggests that given the choice, people should opt for higher intensity workouts if they can.
“Even small amounts of vigorous activity could help reduce your risk of an early death,” Gebel said, adding, “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.”