Extend your lifespan by 5 years!

Elderly men who exercise for 30 minutes a day can extend their lifespan by five years

Research, carried out by the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that men who exercised regularly at any intensity lived up to five years longer than those who did not.

The study found that:

‘carrying out 30 minutes of exercise six times a week was linked to a 40 per cent lower risk of death in men in their 70s.

Even those who only did light exercise for just an hour a week were less at risk of dying than men who led sedentary lives.

Men who exercised regularly at any intensity lived up to five years longer than those who did not. The more time spent doing vigorous exercise, the lower the risk of death – with the risk falling by around half for those doing more than three hours a week.’

The research suggests that older men who boost their physical activity levels do as much good for their health as giving up smoking.

Although the startling findings show major health benefits for elderly men, they hold out the prospect of younger people making similar gains. What value would you put on living longer…worth a bit of regular exercise?