STATEN ISLAND N.Y. A consistent program of fitness and strength training increased the lifespan of people older than 65 in a new study released on today in JAMA Network Open.
The study followed more than 116,000 people over an average of 8 years using an continuous National Health Interview Survey -which is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative designed to improve understanding of health in the United States.
The current guidelines for physical activity recommend that older adults do at minimum two days of strength exercise as well as 150 minutes of aerobic moderate to vigorous physical activity each week.
After adjusting for risk factors such as body mass index or cancer and diabetes, the study showed that following both guidelines was linked with a lower chance of dying in people aged 65-85 years old.
Adults who performed between three and up to six sessions of exercises to strengthen muscles were less likely to being killed by any cause when in comparison to those who performed exercise less than once every week, highlighting the importance of incorporating strength training into exercises routines.
It wasn’t worth it -A study showed that 7 to 28 hours inof exercise for strength weekly Each weekdid not add any additional protection.
“Older adults should be active and less during the day. Remember that certain physical activities are superior to no activity,” the CDC says in its guidelines. “Older adults who are less active and engage in any moderate to vigorous intensity exercise get certain health advantages. The health benefits you receive rise with the greater physical activity you perform.”
Training for strength can take a variety of different forms. Weight lifting or using resistance bands are good however, so do body weight exercises such as push-ups, and heavy gardening such as working with shovels or digging.
The study found that those who did between 10 to 300 minutes of aerobic activity every week, had a lower all-cause death risk than those who exercised only 10 or less minutes a week.
Aerobic activities include biking, hiking, walking and water aerobics, as well as other daily activities such as pushing a lawn mower or raking.
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