Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : January 23, 2019 3:20 PM IST
Exercising for 60 minutes a day could help you live till 90 (or longer!) ©Shutterstock
Achieving weight loss, beating lifestyle diseases, getting good sleep and keeping your health in check are some of the many reasons everybody needs to exercise. But new research tells us why exercise is especially important to women. A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health has claimed that body size -- height and weight -- of women influence their lifespan far more than it does that of men. The findings by Dutch researchers indicate that while physical activity is linked to longevity in both sexes, the more time men spend being physically active add to their chances of reaching old age, while 60 minutes a day was associated with the best chance for women for longevity. The study also notes that, in many developed countries, the life expectancy of both and women has reached a plateau because of increasing levels of obesity and physical inactivity.
This study aimed to find the difference exercise made to women and men's lifespan, which may be influenced by factors like hormones, genes and or lifestyle and also to see if there were any links between height, weight, leisure time physical activity and the likelihood of reaching the age of 90. The subjects in the study (which began in 1986), were involved in activities like gardening, dog walking, DIY (home improvements), walking or cycling to work, and recreational sports, which were grouped into categories of daily quotas: less than 30 minutes; 30 to 60 minutes, and 90 minutes or more. Participants were then monitored until death or the age of 90, whichever came first. About 16.7 per cent of men and 34.4 per cent of women survived to the age of 90.
The findings of the study for women
Those who were active for more than 30-60 minutes a day were 21 per cent more likely to reach 90 than those managing 30 minutes or less. 60 minutes of activity was associated with the best chance of their celebrating a 90th birthday.
The study found that women who were still alive by the age of 90 were, on average taller, had weighed less at the start of the study, and had put on less weight since the age of 20 than those who were shorter and heavier.
Interestingly, the study also found that women, who were more than 5 feet 9 inches tall, were 31 per cent more likely to reach 90 than women who were less than 5 feet 3 inches in height.
The findings of the study for men
When it came to physical activity, men who were active for over 90 minutes a day were 39 per cent more likely to reach 90 than those who did less than 30 minutes and every extra 30 minutes of daily physical activity they were involved in was associated with a 5 per cent increase in their chances of turning 90.
Other health benefits of exercise
When it comes to health benefits of exercise, they are similar in both the genders.
Exercise burns excess calories and fats.
Exercise makes your heart healthier and stronger and also reduces the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercise lowers bad cholesterol (LDL Low density lipoprotein), increases good cholesterol (HDL High-density lipoprotein) and helps in maintaining normal blood pressure levels.
Regular physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, regulates blood sugar levels and lowers your risk of diabetes.
Regular physical activity is found to reduce your risk of developing cancers and also to help cancer survivors cope with the treatment process, extend survival, lower the risk of cancer recurrence and improve their quality of life.
Exercise is also great for your sex life. Studies have shown that increased physical activity is directly related to better sexual activity.
Regular exercise also improves your mental health. and reduces the risk of Alzheimer s and dementia.
Regular physical activity also improves bone density and lowers the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis.
With inputs from ANI
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