The Health Gazette
Exercise and Longevity
Karl Hempel, M.D.
Introduction
Does exercise help you live longer? This is a question that has
been debated for years. Things have certainly changed in the last
several years as conclusions have finally been drawn from ongoing
studies on exercise. Now there is unequivocal data that proves
regular vigorous exercise will enable you to live longer. In fact,
it has been estimated that there are approximately 250,000 deaths
in the United States each year that result from a lack of exercise.
In this article, I will review some of the recent literature that
helps to explain this phenomena. Recent research has led the Center
for Disease Control, the American College of Sports Medicine and
other groups to review and update previous recommendations about
exercise. They now officially recommend that all Americans exercise
for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably daily. The exercise can
be accomplished in increments of as little as five to ten minutes.
Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger is an epidemiologist who has been researching
the medical benefits of exercise for years. Drs. Paffenbarger,
Lee and Hsieh published an article in The Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA) in April of 1995. They studied 17,321
Harvard University alumni in a prospective study that started
in 1962. They interviewed the alumni at intervals to evaluate
their activity level. The study has clearly demonstrated that
exercise is associated with a lower death rate. Furthermore, the
more you exercise, the greater the benefit. Vigorous exercise
was defined as an activity that increases the heart rate and maintains
it at a fairly rapid rate. Examples of vigorous exercise would
be jogging, singles tennis, or vigorous walking. Other excellent
forms of vigorous exercise would be swimming, racquetball, biking,
and aerobic classes. In addition, the lower rates of death were
from all causes and not just from heart disease.
Dr. Ken Cooper, of the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research, found
that exercise was associated with a 40 % reduction in heart attacks
in females and a 60 % reduction in heart attacks in males. In
another study, he found that people who were in the lower 20 %
of cardiovascular fitness had a death rate that was three times
higher than the most fit group. The study also showed that men
taking up exercise, even after the age of 60, will increase their
life expectancy.
Another study of Swedish women demonstrated that mortality was
dramatically reduced in women who had physically active jobs or
who frequently participated in a leisure-time activity. It was
concluded that decreases in physical activity, as well as low
initial levels of activity, are strong risk factors for mortality
in women, and that their predictive values persist for many years.
Dr. Sherman reported on 1,404 women aged 50 to 74 who were free
of cardiovascular disease. The most active group had a 33 % lower
death rate than the least active. Therefore, it was concluded
that woman who were more active lived longer.
In addition, exercise helps you live longer by reducing your chance
of death from causes other than just heart disease. Several studies
have shown that colon cancer is reduced 30 % in individuals who
exercise regularly. The reason for this reduction is not known.
I personally feel it is from improving the function of the immune
system. The immune system is greatly affected by stress, and exercise
certainly reduces stress. Another advantage of exercise is its
positive impact on the treatment of depression. A study published
in Sports Medicine found that counseling combined with exercise
was more effective than counseling alone.
The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that the incidence
of breast cancer was significantly reduced in females who regularly
exercised during the childbearing years.
Osteoporosis can be reduced by working with weights twice a week
in post-menopausal women. Exercise increases bone density, and improves
strength as well as balance which, in turn can reduce the risk
of falls in the elderly. This reduces the mortality rate, since
fractured hips are associated with a fairly high death rate.
The JAMA reported that the incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage
was decreased in elderly people who exercised regularly.
In conclusion, it is apparent that exercise can make you live
longer. Our society has enjoyed a gradually increasing lifespan which I believe is partially due to the
emphasis on exercise in our society over the past several decades.
References
1. Lee IM; Hsieh CC; Paffenbarger RS. Exercise intensity and longevity
in men. JAMA 1995 Apr 19;273(15) :1179-84.
2. Lissner L, et al. Physical activity levels and changes in relation
to longevity. A prospective study of Swedish women. Am J Epidemiol
1996 Jan 1:143(1) :54-62.
3. Sherman SE, et al. Does exercise reduce mortality rates in
the elderly? Experience from the Framingham Heart Study. Am Heart
J 1994 Nov:128(5) :965-72.
4. Sherman SE, et al. Physical activity and mortality in women
in the Framingham Heart Study. Am Heart J 1994 Nov:128(5) :879-84.
5. Paffenbarger RS, et al. The association of changes in physical-activity
level and other lifestyle characteristics with mortality among
men. N Engl J Med 1993 Feb 25;328(8) :538-45.
6. Thompson WG. Exercise and health: fact or hype? South Med J
1994 May;87(5) :567-74.
7. Weyerer S, et al. Physical exercise and psychological health.
Sports Med 1994 Feb:17(2) :108-16.
8. Pate R, et al. Physical activity and public health. JAMA Feb.
1, 1995 pp. 402- 407.
9. Fiatarone MA, et al. Exercise training and nutritional supplementation
for physical frailty in very elderly people. N Eng J Med 1994
Jun 23;330(25) :1769-75.
10. Pahor M, et al. Physical activity and risk of severe gastrointestinal
hemorrhage in older persons. JAMA 1994 Aug 24-31:272(8) :595-9.
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS OFFERED AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE
ABOUT HEALTH-CARE ISSUES AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR INDIVIDUAL
CONSULTATION. ADVICE ON INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS SHOULD BE OBTAINED
FROM YOUR PERSONAL PHYSICIAN. THIS INFORMATION IS BASED ON RESEARCH
BY THE AUTHOR AND REPRESENTS HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE LITERATURE
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