Start exercising: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to premature death

There is even more reason for you to start exercising. According to a new study, low levels of physical activity can lead to earlier death. Read on to know more.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: November 5, 2019 10:18 am

It is never too late to start exercising. According to researchers from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, people who had the lowest levels of physical activity had higher rates of death compared to people with higher levels of activity. They said that nine per cent of all premature deaths are caused by not getting enough physical activity. Moreover, they added that physical activity significantly reduces the risk of death from heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease and mental illness. The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

During the course of this study, researchers analysed the relationship between death and physical exercise among older adults in Brazil. In this country, the number of older adults grew by 40 per cent between 2002 and 2012. They conducted home interviews with 1,451 adults who were older than 60. They gave 971 of those participants wrist monitors to keep track of their physical activity. Researchers also asked participants about their smoking habits and how they would rate their health. They questioned participants about chronic health conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, high cholesterol, depression, stroke, and cancer.

Researchers then rated participants’ daily activities like having a bath, getting dressed, moving from bed to chair, going to the bathroom and eating. They saw that participants with low levels of physical activity had higher risks of death irrespective of state of health. They, therefore, concluded that physical activity is important for avoiding early death in older men and women.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR THE ELDERLY

Regular exercises bring immense benefits to a person, irrespective of age. It is especially beneficial for elderly people. And, you can start exercising at any age and get the benefits. Let us look at a few benefits of exercise as stated by various research.

It improves cognitive abilities

Researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center say that ‘older adults can improve brain function by raising their fitness level’. They reached this conclusion after a six-month long trial on healthy adults aged 65 and older who showed no signs of cognitive decline. The research indicated that the intensity of the exercise appeared to matter more than the duration. This was published in the journal Plos One.

It boosts bone health

A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine says that Home-based exercises followed by voluntary home training seem to be associated with long-term effects on balance and gait, and may help protect high-risk, elderly women from hip fractures. Researchers say that ‘life-long physical activity was associated with reduced risk of fractures. Furthermore, mortality was significantly lower in the exercise group than in the control group during the extended follow-up period. Regular daily physical activity should be recommended to elderly women with osteopenia’.

It stimulates circulation

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital’s Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas researchers say that it is never too late for women to start exercising to reap the benefits of moderate aerobic exercise. Researchers say that ‘in a 3-month study of 16 women age 60 and older, brisk walking for 30-50 minutes three or four times per week improved blood flow through to the brain as much as 15 per cent’.

It promotes muscles health

Ohio State University researchers say that ‘regular aerobic workouts decreased the prevalence of muscle damage that can be caused by exertion’. That is why it is important for older people to start exercising. This is published Journal of Applied Physiology.

Published : November 5, 2019 10:18 am

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