This study found that increased activity in women is associated with a lower death rate regardless of race or weight. Yes there is a correlation, no it's not clear if healthy people are more active or activity leads to health. Or it could be both, we need a study where we track controls against people making changes in activity. Badly!
funny, as I am reading this while slow walking at my walk desk station in my home office. once you GET UP out of your chair and take your work to a stand up desk with a mini walk platform under it... there is no going back to sitting and working at a desk. People ask me all the time, how do you stand all day? Well, for starters, I don't stand all day. I stand some, walk a lot and on occasion, I take my laptop and sit down in a chair. Sometimes, I need to sit, just not for long hours at a time. This new way of being becomes intuitive and is very natural once you get into it. My health and body are receiving great benefits from this new way of working. Love it.
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I went to visit my 98-year-old Aunt today and she wasn't there, she was out walking her dog in the park a few blocks away. She's been that way all her life and the results are consistent with this study. She does no "formal exercise or works out" but she's been physically busy and active for 98 years and still going strong. She walks the dog a mile twice a day, cleans her own apartment, does her own laundry, walks back and forth to the grocery store (even though she can drive), I've even seen her outside washing her own car! As for me, I've got a boring desk job but last year I bought a treadmill desk by www.UnSit.com and love it. I walk over 12,000 steps a day while catching up on emails and phone calls. I walked 385 steps just typing this post!
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I believe the key is to KEEP MOVING.
Whatever your age or physical condition (even if you had recent surgery) get up and move the body.
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Just came back from about 16-mile ride on the Me-Mover, found a new trail, explored it, miles of smooth paved riding.
Before, I dozed watching TV, awoke feeling more tired than I did, not good. Got ready to get out and ride.
Can't explain how it feels during and after, you have to experience it, I didn't have too, no one forced me, but I knew I needed too.
When I got home, I walked my dog feeling stronger than I did earlier. This thing about age, it's like a pattern that many follow because they think they're programmed that way, are they? I don't think so, not if you want to feel better, you don't have to go on a 16 or 40-mile Me-Mover ride, you could, but even a walk around the block can do more for you than you think.
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These articles keep scaling back the expectations. I am waiting for the one that says that just keeping my eyes open through the whole movie means I will live longer.
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You made me laugh out loud this morning. Thank you!
Interestingly, this study’s conclusions were somewhat the EXACT OPPOSITE of those of a similar, larger study also published this month: “Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Relation to All-Cause Mortality: The Women’s Health Study,” in the journal Circulation, PMID 29109088.
In that study they similarly found a “strong inverse association between MVPA [Moderate-and-Vigorous physical-activity] and mortality. [But they] did NOT find any associations of Light physical activity or Sedentary behavior with mortality—after accounting for MVPA.”
In other words, how much time the elderly spent up and about or walking around the block (light activity) or spent watching TV (sedentary behavior), had NO effect on their mortality after controlling for potential confounders, such as the women’s underlying physical conditions and their ability and willingness to actually perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Notably in the NYTimes-reported study, when they controlled for MVPA, the benefits of light activity were cut in half, to only a 7% mortality benefit. So light activity/exercise appears to do very little good. It is only the ABILITY & WILLINGNESS to actually perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that correlates with mortality. But forcing many elderly to perform MVPA may do MORE HARM than good for those who struggle! It could make them fall or kill them. So, unfortunately, this is information that we simply cannot make prescriptive.
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I haven't found time to think old when I'm into exercise, the same applies to any negative thoughts or anxiety, it's almost impossible. There's a lot going on, the key is to find the motivation to do what makes you feel good.
I think the word "exercise" has a negative connotation, as does "working out", but it's what happens during and after, the rewards are not understood. Believe, good things happen, the calm that lasts, the feeling of well being, the restful sleep, all from doing things we did when we were younger that we can still do within reason.
Take weight training, everyone that's capable can do resistance training, we need it to keep our muscles. But it's the aerobics that makes things happen, great things, from endorphins, yes even for us older guys.
You can feel it when at speed on something with wheels that you propel, could be a bicycle, or a Me-Mover, my choice. The thing is you must believe you can get out there, again, if you're capable.
Hard to write about a feeling that happens when you're climbing a grade, the satisfaction of reaching the apex, the ride down, the ride home letting your thoughts wander, the calming that stays with you.
Hard to duplicate the above sitting home on your favorite couch or chair, your choice, if you have the motivation, there's fun waiting for you.
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While I think it is very important to highlight research showing the benefifs of exercise, I think this article is a little mis-leading. There is a 100% risk of death for all of us. Would be helpful to be more precise about what they mean by lowered mortality rates.
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Re this piece’s title, “Even Light Activity May Increase Your Chances of Living Longer,” and the study’s senior author’s statement that: “We hope that physical activity guidelines will recognize light activity as an evidence-based way to lower the risk for death.”:
Nope, not anywhere near there yet.
First, I noted elsewhere that a similar study, PMID 29109088, came to the exact opposite conclusion, that increased light activity had NO association with mortality in the elderly after accounting for their degree of—i.e. their ability and willingness to perform—moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Indeed, when the ability and willingness to perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was controlled for in the new study, the “benefits” of light activity were nearly cut in half. More thorough control of underlying-physical-condition confounders could easily drive even this small benefit to zero.
But more important, this study was observational, NOT experimental. Thus it is descriptive, NOT necessarily prescriptive. Those who perform less light activity might have an underlying worse prognosis, just as those who performed more vigorous activity ended up fulfilling better prognoses. Indeed, grtting those with underlying worse prognoses to perform more light activity may end up doing them more harm than good. You just don’t know. In the case here, a Randomized Controlled Trial of such an intervention—more light activity—is REQUIRED before ANY policy prescription can be made.
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My 90 year old mother who had led a busy career as a physician, remains physically active, from doing light chores to walking up and down hallways, and staircases. When she has company she will even cook a meal for them. That is when she is not disabled with bronchitis attack, she has been diagnosed with COPD poor thing.
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This applies to guy's too, even 80-year-old ones Maybe some people do not know that we lose muscles as we grow older if we do not use them they deteriorate, yet many accept this and do nothing.
Do something, move on your own if you're capable, do not let age deter you. Yes, even do resistance training with weights, just start light and get some advice from physical trainers and of course your doctor's approval.
Then consider aerobics for your heart and lungs to get things going and keep them that way. Again with the go-ahead from your health professional. We need to stop sitting so much, get on a bicycle or stationary machine, or better yet, get outside. Check out scooters like a Me-Mover, standing upright moving by stepping, a great workout.
Bottom line, do nothing and you're not giving your muscles any reason to stay around. It's true, even the elderly can improve musculature, increase endurance one step at a time. I do it almost every day, you can too.
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I’ve long believed that the household chores are better left to one’s spouse, but I never had scientific backing for it.
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I agree. My husband is a much more thorough cleaner than I.
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