Are you wondering whether it's worth going for a little jog? Don't hesitate, and get your sports shoes on. A new study shows that proper running lowers the risk of death before the normal time.
In an analysis of 14 previous studies from the US and Denmark, the group of researchers from institutes in Australia and Finland concluded that increasing running participation would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity. The studies involved 232,149 participants over time periods ranging from 5. 5 to 35 years.
On the whole, people running any distance were associated with a 27% lower risk of death from all causes than those who did not, the study shows. Running was also related with a 30% and 23% lower risk of death from cardiovascular (心血管的) disease and cancer, respectively.
Previous studies had concluded "inconsistent findings" about whether running could lower the risk of premature death, according to the researchers. Lead researcher Jim White, a professor at Victoria University in Melbourne, told CNN: "Our recent findings may encourage physically inactive individuals to take up running and those who already run to keep on doing it."
He added that doctors may be encouraged by our findings to promote running as a part of "lifestyle medicine". In their paper, which will be published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say health professionals are sometimes wary of promoting running because vigorous(剧烈的)use of it has been linked with sudden heart death.
Jim and his team deny this by noting that the benefit of running outweighs the risk. However, they did say advice should be given on a case-by-case basis, as running might not be appropriate for everyone. Although running has a clear health benefit, the researchers point out that higher "doses" of running may not reduce the risk of premature death further. According to the WHO's guidelines, adults aged between 18 and 64 should take 150 minutes of gentle exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.
