| We all know that getting regular exercise is an | | | | levels of physical activity from "low activity" to "high |
| important part of staying healthy. Low levels of | | | | activity" experienced a 32 percent relative reduction |
| physical activity have been directly linked to a higher | | | | in their risk of mortality, while the "low activity" |
| risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are | | | | physical activity group of men who increased their |
| the two most common causes of death throughout | | | | level of physical activity to the "medium" level |
| most of the world. We also know that even | | | | experienced a 22 percent relative reduction in their |
| moderate levels of increased physical activity can | | | | risk of death. A critically important observation in this |
| improve overall health and reduce the risk of | | | | study was that after 10 years of "high" level physical |
| developing life-threatening diseases, while higher levels | | | | activity, the middle-aged men who had began this |
| of regular exercise provide even greater protection | | | | study while in the "low activity" group had attained a |
| against illness and premature death. Ideally, we should | | | | death rate that was essentially identical to that of |
| all engage in regular and vigorous physical exercise | | | | the men who had been in the "high activity" group |
| throughout our entire lives, beginning in childhood and | | | | from the very beginning of this study. It should also |
| continuing into the latter years of our lives. If you've | | | | be noted that during the first 5 years of increased |
| already reached middle age, however, and you | | | | exercise and physical activity, the men who had |
| haven't exactly been a regular at your local | | | | transitioned from the "low activity" group to the "high |
| neighborhood gym, what clinical or scientific evidence | | | | activity" group actually had a somewhat higher level |
| is there that starting a new exercise regimen can | | | | of mortality when compared to the men who were |
| substantially improve your prospects of living a longer | | | | already in the "high activity" group at the beginning of |
| and healthier life when compared to your more fit | | | | the study. After 10 years of sustained "high" level |
| same-age peers? A new prospective long-term clinical | | | | physical activity, however, the men who had started |
| research study, performed in Sweden and just | | | | out in the "low activity" group had achieved the same |
| published in the British Medical Journal, includes some | | | | approximately 50 percent reduction in mortality |
| very important data that will, hopefully, provide | | | | (when compared to the men who remained in the |
| sedentary middle-aged folks with an even greater | | | | "low activity" group) as was observed in the men |
| incentive to slip on some exercise togs, and hit the | | | | who had been in the "high activity" group from the |
| gym or track right away. | | | | very beginning of this very long-term clinical research |
| In this prospective cohort study, 2,205 men, all of | | | | study. |
| whom were 50 years old when they entered the | | | | Improvements in mortality rates for this cohort of |
| study between 1970 and 1973, were followed for an | | | | middle-aged men as a result of smoking cessation |
| average of more than 35 years. All of these | | | | were also evaluated and, in turn, were compared |
| participating men were re-evaluated at ages 60, 70, | | | | with the improvements in mortality rates that were |
| 77, and 82 years of age. These men were divided | | | | observed among the men who boosted their physical |
| into distinct groups, based upon their self-reported | | | | activity levels during the course of this study. |
| levels of physical activity at the time they entered | | | | Cessation of smoking for 10 years reduced the risk |
| into this research study, and at each point of | | | | of death in these men by about 40 percent (when |
| re-evaluation. In order to accurately categorize these | | | | compared to the men who continued to smoke), |
| men in terms of their average levels of physical | | | | while increasing one's level of physical activity from |
| activity, a previously validated questionnaire was | | | | the lowest level to the highest level resulted in a 49 |
| utilized. The men who answered "yes" to the | | | | percent reduction in mortality after 10 years. One |
| following question were placed in the "low activity" | | | | important limitation of this study is, of course, that |
| group: "Do you spend most of your time reading, | | | | women were not included. However, while the exact |
| watching TV, going to the cinema, or engaging in | | | | magnitude of benefit from increased levels of |
| other mostly sedentary activities?" The men who | | | | physical activity may or may not be identical |
| answered "yes" to the following question (and "no" | | | | between men and women, there is ample clinical |
| to the other three questions) were placed in the | | | | research data available showing that mortality rates |
| "medium activity" group: "Do you often go walking or | | | | decline for both men and women with increasing |
| cycling for pleasure?" Finally, men who answered | | | | levels of regular physical activity. |
| "yes" to the following two questions were placed in | | | | In summary, this important public health study has |
| the "high activity" group: "Do you engage in any | | | | shown that sedentary middle-aged men who increase |
| active recreational sports or heavy gardening at least | | | | their levels of regular physical activity (from "low |
| 3 hours every week" and "Do you regularly engage in | | | | activity" to "high activity") for at least 10 years are |
| hard physical training or competitive sport?" | | | | able to achieve the same level of mortality risk |
| The annual death rates for this cohort of middle-aged | | | | reduction (when compared with men who continue |
| men were then observed for nearly 4 decades, and | | | | to live a sedentary life) as is observed in other |
| their risk of death as a function of physical activity | | | | middle-aged men who have spent at least 35 years |
| levels was then analyzed. Additionally, improvements | | | | exercising at the same high level. Moreover, |
| in death rates associated with increasing levels of | | | | improvements in mortality among middle-aged men |
| physical activity were also compared with | | | | who change from low levels to high levels of regular |
| improvements in death rates associated with smoking | | | | physical activity for at least 10 years appears to be |
| cessation among these men, which makes this very | | | | comparable to giving up smoking for at least 10 |
| long-term prospective clinical research study very | | | | years. The twin lessons from this study are, |
| unique. | | | | therefore, that (1) it is never too late to get up off |
| One particularly important finding of this study was | | | | of the couch and start exercising if you want to |
| that the men who continued to live a sedentary | | | | maximally reduce your risk of premature death, and |
| lifestyle were twice as likely to die prematurely as | | | | (2) throwing away your cigarettes will also |
| the men who began the study in the "high level of | | | | significantly decrease your risk of an early and |
| physical activity" group, which is consistent with the | | | | otherwise preventable death (needless to say, |
| findings of other similar public health studies. When | | | | implementing both of these important lifestyle |
| looking more closely at each of the three groups of | | | | changes will tremendously reduce your risk of an |
| men, based upon their levels of physical activity, the | | | | early and preventable death!). As a reminder, I |
| researchers found that the risk of death (mortality) | | | | recommend that you receive a thorough physical |
| over a period of approximately 35 years was 27, 24, | | | | examination by your physician before you embark on |
| and 18 per "1,000 person-years" of life among the | | | | a new exercise program, and that you begin your |
| men with low, medium and high levels of physical | | | | new fitness program in a gradual, graded manner to |
| activity, respectively. The men who increased their | | | | reduce your risk of injury. |