The intensity of exercise, not
the duration, is what's important in terms of improving your chances of living
a longer life, a new study suggests.
Researchers who looked at
cyclists in Denmark found that men with high levels of cycling intensity lived
5.3 years longer, and those with average intensity lived 2.9 years longer, than
men with low intensity.
Among female cyclists, those with
high intensity lived 3.9 years longer, and those with average intensity lived
2.2 years longer, compared to women with low intensity.
The study was presented Monday at
the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Paris.
Current guidelines recommend that
adults get 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity in their leisure
time, preferably every day of the week. The most beneficial levels of
intensity, duration and frequency haven't been established.
The findings suggest "that a
greater part of daily physical activity in leisure time should be vigorous,
based on the individual's own perception of intensity," study author Peter
Schnohr said in news release from the European Society of Cardiology.
In a previous study, Schnohr and
his colleagues also found a link between higher levels of intensity and longer
life.
Experts note that research presented at meetings has
not been subjected to the same type of rigorous scrutiny given to research
published in peer-reviewed medical journals.
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