Can Cross Training Lead To a Longer Life?
The current U.S. recommendations for physical activity may seem modest when viewed by those who exercise almost daily. Just 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity per week meets the minimum, with a suggestion of engaging in some type of muscle-strengthening effort at least two days a week. Yet a recent study published in The BMJ suggests that’s enough to help you live longer. And if you do both aerobic activity and strength training, you may be even better off.
An international team of researchers looked at data from the National Health Interview Survey, a 17-year study with nearly half a million adult participants in the U.S., collecting data on numerous health markers and behaviors, including aerobic activity and muscle strengthening.
They compared those behaviors to death from any cause as well as eight specific causes, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory tract diseases, accidents, injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.
Excerpted from Runner’s World
