Light Jogging Thrice a Week Best for Longevity

Vigorous exercise like fast running might be harmful to your health over time, and light jogging is best for longevity, according researchers from the Copenhagen City Heart Study, Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark.

1,098 healthy joggers and 413 healthy but sedentary non-joggers were part of the study. Researchers tracked hours of jogging, frequency and the individual's perception of pace. The 12-year Danish study found that people who did not jog at all were just as likely to die as people who jogged strenuously and often. But, it was seen that those who jogged lightly, between 1 and 2.4 hours per week, were the least likely to die suddenly.

Researcher Peter Schnohr said, "It is important to emphasize that the pace of the slow joggers corresponds to vigorous exercise and strenuous jogging corresponds to very vigorous exercise. When performed for decades, this activity level could pose health risks, especially to the cardiovascular system. If your goal is to decrease risk of death and improve life expectancy, jogging a few times a week at a moderate pace is a good strategy. Anything more is not just unnecessary, it may be harmful."

The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Source: Medindia