Running Helps People Live Longer
Running on a regular basis slows the effects of aging, according to a recent study from Stanford University School of Medicine.
The study has tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. It was discovered that old runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths.
Elderly joggers were also less likely to succumb to age-related illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and neurological disorders.
Both runners and nonrunners became more disabled with age, but for the runners the onset of disability started later - an average of 16 years later.
Running’s effect on delaying death are amazing – 19 years after the study began, 34% of the non-runners had died, compared to just 15% of the runners.
If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise, said lead author Professor James Fries.
The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.