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Small Fitness Gains Add to Longevity
September 5th, 2009 by chelle WesslingSmall Fitness Gains Add to Longevity
August - 24 - 2009
People with only modest levels of physical fitness may live longer than those who are sedentary, even when accounting for factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. A study team from the University of Otago in New Zealand assessed the fitness levels of 4,384 healthy middle-aged and older U.S. adults, using exercise treadmill tests conducted between 1986 and 2006. The participants were divided into five groups according to fitness levels, and each participant was followed for an average of nine years. During the study period, 25 percent of the least-fit participants died, compared to 13 percent of those who were slightly more fit. Only 6 percent of the most-fit group died during follow-up. The study is published in the August edition of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
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