How many additional years can bring different sports
Can sport prolong life (photo: Freepik)
An active lifestyle is not just a trend; it's also a guarantee of your health and even longevity. Yes, some types of sports can significantly extend your life. Here are the results of the research of the National Library of Medicine and a post by scientist Oleksandr Kolda on Instagram about which specific sports add years to life.
How many additional years can different sports bring
In a study involving 80,306 Britons, it was found that cycling, swimming, football, and racket sports are associated with an increase in life expectancy ranging from 3.7 to 9.7 years. However, activities in the gym and running do not have such a significant effect.
Of course, these activities will also help you feel healthier and maintain a good physique, which is definitely better than a sedentary lifestyle.
This study focuses on individuals who have been engaged in one of the amateur sports for over 5 years, approximately 150 minutes per week. You may notice, for example, that playing tennis adds 9.7 years to life, while badminton adds 6.2 years.
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It may seem that tennis is an "expensive" sport and is only for wealthy individuals, while running is accessible to everyone, making this study somewhat biased. However, scientists conducting the research took this into account and selected participants with similar income and social indicators.
Therefore, it can be argued that it is not financial capabilities that influence the outcomes, but rather the type of sport chosen by these individuals. Although, of course, there may be other factors that were not investigated.
Additionally, the study showed that walking, strength training, and yoga help reduce the overall risk of death. Most modern professions involve a sedentary lifestyle, leading to various health issues.
If you cannot afford to go to the gym, take up swimming, or simply don't have the time, walking is a universal and accessible way to help you feel better.
How many years do different sports add to life (photo: Freepik)
However, if your walk is just the route "home - car - work," it's worth addressing. For example, one day, consider walking to work, as this method of "activity" will certainly add years to your life.
However, we are not discussing professional sports right now because it is much more complex, and there are other factors that can impact health. Therefore, this aspect needs to be discussed separately.
It's worth noting that this is not the "TOP 9 types of sports that prolong life"; it is a list of activities that have been studied.
Also, read our material on 5 daily habits that help you live longer.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
