Move more, live longer: the latest on the benefits of an active lifestyle
Springtime is coming, the days are getting longer and warmer, and we are running out of excuses not to be up and moving again. Here is a short review of recent studies on the benefits of physical exercise.
Exercise and BP in children [1]
A recent UK study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, shows that physical activity in children lowers childhood blood pressure (BP). Furthermore, it’s not the intensity of the activity that counts but the total amount of physical activity while performing normal daily chores. It could be just as simple as walking to and from school. The important thing is that kids should be mobile and not spend long periods of time in front of the TV or the game boy console. High BP in children can result in adult hypertension.
Aerobics and cholesterol levels [2]
A meta-analysis study by Japanese researchers shows that doing aerobics regularly increases serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). This increase in HDL levels lowered the risk of cardiovascular disorders by about 5.1% in men and by 7.6% in women. The rise in HDL depends on duration but not intensity or frequency of the exercise. This beneficial effect of aerobics is most pronounced in people with initially high total cholesterol levels and low body mass index (BMI).
Exercise and telomeres [3]
British researchers found a correlation between physical activity and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in healthy individuals. LTL is a biological measure of aging in humans.
Researchers at Twin Research Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London found that individuals who are inactive, smokers and with high BMI tend to have shorter telomeres than active, non-smoking individuals. The difference in biological age between couch potatoes and physically active people can be as high as 10 years.
Exercise and alcohol [4]
A Danish study followed up 11,914 adults for over 20 years. Their results show that leisure-time physical exercise combined with moderate alcohol intake actually lower risks of fatal ischemic heart disease (IHD). Nondrinking, sedentary individuals have the highest risk of IHD while physically active moderate drinkers have the lowest risk.
The study defined “moderate” drinking as 1 to 14 drinks of alcohol a week. One drink is equivalent to “one bottle of beer, one glass of wine, or one unit of spirit.”
Sources:
Leary SD et al., 2008. Physical activity and blood pressure in childhood: findings from a population-based study. Hypertension 51:92-98.- Kodama S et al., 2007. Effect of aerobic exercise training on serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Arch Intern Med 167:999-1008.
- Cherkas LF et al., 2008, The association between physical activity in leisure time and leukocyte telomere length. Arch Intern Med 168: 154-158.
- Pedersen JØ et al.., 2008. The combined influence of leisure-time physical activity and weekly alcohol intake on fatal ischaemic heart disease and all-cause mortality. European Heart Journal January 2008 29(2):204-212
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