Regular jogging prolongs life
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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Regular jogging increases the life expectancy of men by 6.2 years, and in women - by 5.6. Such information was made public at the EuroPRevent2012 conference, which takes place from 3 to 5 May in Dublin (Ireland).
The conclusion about the benefits of running was made by scientists from the Copenhagen University Hospital after a study of Copenhagen City Heart, which began in 1976. It involved about 20 thousand men and women aged 20 to 93 years.
Researchers compared the death rate of 1,116 male and 762 female runners with the death rate of those who did not engage in jogging. All subjects answered questions about how much time they devoted to running weekly, and also assessed their running speed (slow, medium, fast). The information was collected for the first time in 1976-1978, the second in 1981-1983, the third in 1991-1994, and the fourth in 2001-2003.
It turned out that during the observation period, which amounted to at least 35 years, there were 10,158 deaths among non-runners and only 122 deaths among lovers of the coward. A subsequent analysis of the data showed that jogging reduced the risk of death by 44% in both men and women. In addition, it was found that regular jogging extended the life of men by 6.2 years, and women - by 5.6 years.
Optimal effect had two or three runs a week, a total duration of an hour to two and a half. Particularly useful such lessons were brought when the run was slow or medium in speed.
According to the authors of the work, jogging improves oxygen absorption, increases sensitivity to insulin, optimizes the lipid profile (raises the level of "good" cholesterol and reduces the concentration of triglycerides), reduces blood pressure, reduces platelet aggregation, increases fibrinolytic activity, improves cardiac function, increases density bones, strengthens the immune system, reduces the content of inflammatory markers, prevents obesity and has a beneficial effect on physiological functions.