Why Playing a Sport Should Be Your New Workout

People who play a sport are more likely to stay healthy and fit as they age, according to a new study published in BMJ Open, compared to those who do other types of physical activity. Finding a sport you love early in life—and playing it often—may be the key to staying active in your 70s, 80s and beyond. The transition from middle age to old age is often one of slowing down. Retirement or injuries, for example, can lead to major life changes and affect the amount of physical activity a person gets on a regular basis. Yet staying active is vital to preserving mental and physical health—and the ability to live independently—as people age. Daniel Aggio, a doctoral student at University College London, and his colleagues wanted to see who tended to keep up active habits over time. They analyzed data from nearly 3,500 men, collected over 20 years, and found that men who were physically active in their 40s and 50s were nearly three times as likely to be active in later decades, compared to those who were sedentary in middle age. That wasn’t very surprising. The more interesting finding emerged when they looked at how these men were staying active. Just about 50% of middle-aged men played sports or did other formal exercise at least occasionally, and this remained relatively stable over the 20-year study. Other types of recreational activities, such as gardening, housework and do-it-yourself activities, did not stand the test of time nearly as well. W...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Aging Exercise Exercise/Fitness is walking good for you Longevity physical activity recreational activities Sports what sport should i play Source Type: news