Researchers
were surprised to find "People
who played tennis, badminton or soccer tended to live longer than those who
cycled, swam or jogged."
The
data:
|
Activity
|
Additional
years gained
|
|
Biking
|
3.7
|
|
Running
|
3.2
|
|
Tennis
|
9.7
|
|
Badminton
|
6.2
|
|
Soccer
|
5
|
It's
way too early to draw definitive conclusions, but I'll do so anyway (it's a
blog, so it's supposed to be opinionated). The researchers suggested "the
social aspects of racket games and other team sports are a primary reason that
they seem to lengthen lives" because "social support provides stress
mitigation."
If
that's the case, we can make a strong case for Nordic walking. The intensity
level is such you can carry on conversations with others. That means Nordic
walking makes the social component possible, giving a potential positive effect
on longevity.
The
moral? Get out and start a walking group!
