Running Once A Week May Lower Early Death Risk By 27%, Study Says

Running is an aerobic exercise with lots of health benefits, including weight loss. According to a new study, this aerobic exercise can also play a vital role in lowering the risk of the early death of all-cause.

Running or jogging at any speed and duration can reduce the risk of premature deaths by 27%, stated the study. The research that was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on Monday suggested that running for even 50 minutes a week can lower the risk of early deaths, including cancer and cardiovascular mortality.

In short, the study stressed the importance of being physically active. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), physical inactivity is a major cause for several health problems worldwide. The international health body stated that over three million deaths are caused due to physical inactivity every year.

To stay fit, WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise and 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity in a week for people aged above 18 years.

For the study, the research team examined 14 previously published studies that included a total of 232,149 participants from various parts of the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. All the participants in the study were followed-up for a period ranging from 5.5 to 35 years. During this period, over 25,000 people died.

When the research team analyzed the results of previous studies, they found that runners with heart problems had a 30 percent reduced risk of premature deaths. They also found that running lowered the risk of early death by 27% and cancer mortality by 23%.

“Our findings may motivate physically inactive individuals to take up running and those who already run to keep on doing it,” lead researcher Željko Pedišić from the Victoria University in Melbourne told CNN.

The researchers concluded the study by stating, “increased rates of participation in running, regardless of its dose, would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity”.

“Any amount of running, even just once a week, is better than no running, but higher doses of running may not necessarily be associated with greater mortality benefits,” the researchers noted.

However, the study has its own limitations because the levels of running were self-reported by the study’s participants. It is also worth noting that this study was not designed to look into the other types of exercises the participants were involved in.

“More studies are needed to examine how sustained running behavior, rather than sporadic participation, is associated with mortality risk. Future studies should also consider assessing running habits using activity trackers, as these devices may provide more detailed and accurate insights into running behavior,” the research team noted.