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Exercise Keeps You Alive and Well Longer
August 12, 2009: 0 comment(s)
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A group of Japanese doctors have recently published findings that show how someone’s level of fitness not only impacts heart health but also life expectancy. Their studies revealed that both risk for heart disease and length of life was affected by increasing the amount and regularity of cardio exercise.
A team headed up by Dr. Satoru Kodama, MD, PhD, at the University of Tsukuba Institute of Clinical Medicine, in Ibaraki, Japan analyzed the results of 33 studies including over 186,000 people. The intent was to identify the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease and overall death associated with the level of individual cardio respiratory fitness.
Each participant was given a fitness number based on his or her ability to take in and use oxygen, which researchers defined as maximal aerobic capacity. This translates into how long and how fast a person can walk or run.
Compared to the high fitness group, those in the low fitness category were 70% more likely to die from all causes and showed a 56% greater chance for heart disease and cardiovascular disease. When the intermediate group was compared to the high fitness group, the intermediate category was 40% more likely to die from all causes and had a 47% greater chance for heart disease or cardiovascular disease.
These findings show that higher fitness levels are associated with a longer life and a lower risk for heart and cardiovascular disease.
In order to meet minimum fitness requirements, according to this study, a 50-year-old man should be able to walk continuously at 4mph and a woman, at 3mph for an extended period of time without feeling exhausted. According to the report, “It is possible that consideration of a low CRF (cardio respiratory fitness level) as a major coronary risk factor could be put into practical use in the clinical setting through identification of low exercise tolerance by exercise stress testing or in daily life by the speed at which a person can walk before experiencing exhaustion.”
Contrary to past thinking, running or jogging isn’t required in order to achieve a protective benefit against heart or cardiovascular disease. The optimum intensity or fitness level is considered moderate to intense, meaning a brisk fast walk.
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