Posted: 15:59, 24 August 2022 | Updated: 16:03, 24 August 2022
Racket sports such as tennis and badminton are the most effective at keeping a person healthy as they age, according to a new study. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, found that regularly playing a sport such as tennis for at least 2.5 hours each week between the ages of 59 and 82 could reduce the risk of death from any cause . percent. The run was associated with a 15% drop. The team found that every physical activity – cycling, swimming, aerobic exercise, golf and even just walking – had some kind of benefit in reducing the risk of death in the elderly. The least effective, cycling, even reduced the risk of death by 3%. Experts have long known that staying physically active in older age can help a person maintain both physical and cognitive health and reduce the risk of conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. This study highlights that certain exercises could prove more valuable than others. Racket sports such as tennis, badminton or squash are more effective in preventing death in the middle-aged and elderly, according to a new study. The researchers, who published their findings Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, collected data from 272,550 adults between the ages of 59 and 82. Each completed a survey about their weekly leisure activities, whether it was participating in exercise or otherwise. The NCI team focused on seven different leisure activities, specifically, running, cycling, swimming, aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf and walking. According to physical activity guidelines set by health officials, American adults are recommended to get 2.5 to five hours of moderate — or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous — physical activity each week. Participants were followed up over four years to measure how long they had lived after the original survey date. The research team found that achieving recommended scores while participating in any type of physical activity each week reduced all-cause mortality by an average of 13%. However, some activities proved more valuable than others. Racket sports – which include tennis, squash and badminton among others – could reduce a person’s risk of dying from any cause by 16 percent. The next most effective activity was running, which reduced risk by 15 percent, followed by walking (nine percent reduced risk of all-cause mortality), golf (seven), aerobic exercise (seven), swimming (five) and the bicycle (three) . Racket sports were particularly effective in preventing death from cardiovascular problems, reducing the risk by 27%. Walking also reduced the risk of heart-related death by nine percent. Running is the most valuable activity for those who want to reduce their risk of cancer, as 2.5 hours a week reduces the risk of dying from cancer by 19%. The researchers found that more exercise could increase the health benefits, but there are fewer odds on how much it might help a person. Previous studies have shown that there are many health benefits to staying active in older age. Regular exercise can boost a person’s immune system – which becomes especially important in older age when you are more vulnerable to illness. It can also boost cognitive function, keeping devastating issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay.
