It’s no secret that jogging can be good for us in many more ways than a reduction to our waistline, with a long line of studies linking exercise to improved health and well being. The latest to look at the benefits of running has drawn yet more interesting conclusions, most notably that going for just one jog a week can make a huge difference to the risk of death from all causes.
The work was carried out by researchers at Australia’s Victoria University and drew on existing scientific literature concerning the lifestyles of more than 230,000 participants. These subjects had their health tracked for periods ranging from 5.5 to 35 years, with 11 percent dying within the timeframe of the study.
This analysis enabled the researchers to make some comparisons between those who run and those who don’t. According to the team, those heading out to pound the pavement on a regularly basis had a 27 percent lower risk of death from all causes, a 30 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular trouble and a 23 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.
Interestingly, these figures held true for those running just once a week for up to 50 minutes. This particular study produced no evidence that running more often brought added benefits around mortality, though that’s not to say that it doesn’t.
In fact, there is a lot of scientific data indicating more frequent exercise can have a range of health benefits. One study last year found that exercising four to five times a week can greatly improve one’s heart elasticity, while others have found strong correlations between greater bouts of exercise and longer life expectancy.
“This is a good news for those who don’t have much time on their hands for exercise, but it shouldn’t discourage those who enjoy running longer and more often,” says Associate Professor at Victoria University Zeljko Pedisic.
The research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Source: Victoria University
