Here’s a question: If you could extend your life 3 years, just by running 7 minutes a
day - would you do it?
Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and I’ll admit it: I’m not a runner. I tried to run
a half-marathon back in 2008, but then I injured my knee and it all went to hell. So imagine
my surprise, when a new study pops up this week in the Journal of the American College
of Cardiology - that says you don’t have to go the distance, to reap the benefits of
running. Turns out, all it takes - is 7 minutes a day!
The article shares the results of a 15-year-long cohort study of over 55,000 adults, to see
whether running could reduce someone’s risk of death from anything - not just heart disease.
Now because it is a cohort study, it can’t technically conclude that running is what
causes the reduced risk of death - but the correlation is there, and it paints a pretty
clear picture.
People who run, even in modest amounts, of 51 minutes a week - were found to have a 45%
reduction in the risk of cardiovascular-related death, and a 30% overall reduction in any
type of death, compared to non-runners. This means that, on average, running can increase
someone’s life expectancy by about three years.
Now 51 minutes a week, or about 7 minutes a day - isn’t exactly a tall order. But
the study also took other factors into account - like distance, and speed - and found that
even they don’t make much of a difference at all. Even a light jog can significantly
reduce one’s mortality risk. Although they did find that persistent runners - people
who do it regularly - had the best outcomes, with an average 50% reduction in cardiovascular-related
deaths, and 29% reduction in overall mortality.
Pretty impressive. Although it is worth noting that while certain things were adjusted for
- like age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and family history of heart disease - diet
was not adjusted for, which can have a pretty big influence on someone’s health status.
Researchers also note that while it is a big study, most of the people who participated
were white, middle-to-upper class adults. So it’s not totally clear how their results
apply to other populations.
In any case, it’s still promising to know that even the most minimal amount of exercise
can have positive effects on your health. And hopefully, that’ll encourage some of
us - myself included - to not be so intimidated by the thought of working out. I’m sure
all of us out there would agree that 7 minutes a day - is something we can all make time
for.
What do you guys think? Is exercise less scary to you now? Let us know your thoughts in the
comments below, and as always - thank you guys for watching!