Those interested in running now have another reason to lace up their running shoes. A new study from Denmark suggests that taking regular jogs can help extend your life.
The increase in lifespan showed through for both men and women. Women who jogged on a regular basis lived around 5.6 years longer than women who did not. And men who jogged on a regular basis lived about 6.2 years longer than men who did not.
For those who may be wondering, the term ‘regularly’ in this study constitutes jogging between only one and 2.5 hours per week, keeping a slow or average pace. Study researcher Peter Schnohr – chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study – made the statement, “We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don’t actually need to do that much to reap the benefits.”
Within this study, the mortality rates of 1,116 male and 762 female joggers were examined. Those rates were compared with those that didn’t jog, with a total of 20,000 participants involved. Participants answered questions about their jogging frequency, time spent and pace. Over a period of 35 years, those who didn’t jog had a total of 10,158 deaths, while there were only 122 deaths among those who jogged regularly. This equates to a 44% overall risk reduction of death when regular jogging is involved.
Something else to note is that jogging less than one hour or more than 2.5 hours each week increased the likelihood of death within this study. For the proper pace, Schnohr suggests, “You should aim to feel a little breathless, but not very breathless.”
These findings will be presented on May 5 in Dublin to showcase the importance of moving more for lifelong benefits. Jogging can not only help you live longer, it can also help you lose weight and stave off weight-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many others. The research of this study endorses regular exercise in the form of jogging, which is something we can all benefit from.
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