Older runners 'have better survival chances'
Tuesday, 12 Aug 2008 10:15
Running can reduce risk of disability and improve survival chances, study suggests
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Middle-aged and older people who run are more likely to live longer and have a lower risk of disability in later life, a new study has found.
The research published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that regular exercise could reduce disability and death risk by increasing cardiovascular fitness and improving aerobic capacity.
It could also increase bone mass, lower levels of inflammatory markers, improve response to vaccinations and improve thinking, learning and memory functions.
Scientists at Stanford University studied 284 members of a US running club and 156 health controls aged over 50 from 1984 to 2005.
Information collected included exercise frequency, body mass index and disability level.
At the beginning of the study runners were younger, leaner and less likely to smoke than controls.
After 19 years, 81 runners (15 per cent) had died compared with 144 controls (34 per cent).
Disability levels were lower in runners at all time points and increased in both groups over time, but less so in runners.
"Our findings of decreased disability in addition to prolonged survival among middle-aged and older adults participating in routine physical activities further support recommendations to encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity at all ages," the researchers conclude.
"Increasing healthy lifestyle behaviours may not only improve length and quality of life but also hopefully lead to reduced health care expenditures associated with disability and chronic diseases."