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13 Aug 2008
People of middle to older age could benefit from running, a new study has suggested.
Released on August 11th in the Archives of Internal Medicine, research by staff at the Stanford University School of Medicine found that such exercise could be associated with increased survival and reduced disability.
A total of 284 members of a running club and 156 control participants - all of whom were aged 50 or over - were canvassed by the scientists at the start of the study in 1984, web resource Medical News Today notes.
Generally, the runners were leaner and less likely to smoke than their control counterparts.
Subjects were mailed an annual questionnaire in which they detailed information about exercise habits, body mass index and level of disability.
After 19 years, 15 per cent of the runners had died in comparison to 34 per cent of the controls and disability levels were lower in the more active group at all times.
"Our findings of decreased disability in addition to prolonged survival among middle-aged and older adults participating in routine physical activities further support recommendations to encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity at all ages," the researchers concluded.
Web resource Absolute Fitness notes that the psychological benefits of regular exercise - such as enhanced self-esteem - can be as significant as the physical ones.
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