More Reasons to Exercise: You Live Longer, and Happier



by Charles Platkin, PhD

More Reasons to : You , and Happier

Even though you may not lose weight, it’s still worth getting out there and exercising.  According to a study by international researchers published in the journal PLOS Medicine, even when people are overweight, those who do regular physical activity, such as brisk walking, live longer than those who don’t do any leisure-time exercise.

Researchers from Sweden and the United States used information on “leisure-time physical activities and BMI (Body Mass Index, body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) from more than 650,000 people aged over 40 years in a combined analysis of six long-term studies (one from Sweden and five from the U.S.). They found that even leisure-time physical activity at a level equivalent to brisk walking for up to 75 minutes per week was associated with an average increase in life expectancy of 1.8 years compared to those who did not exercise.”

The good news  if you do up to 300 minutes of brisk walking you continue to get more longevity benefits (it plateaus after 300).  

Need more convincing?  Not only do you get to live longer, but Penn State researchers found that people’s satisfaction with life was higher on days when they exercised more than usual.

Your Kids Need at Least 7 Minutes of Vigorous Physical Activity 

University of Alberta medical researchers found that simply taking a brisk walk or engaging in mild to moderate exercise is just not enough to benefit the of children ages 9 to 17. Vigorous activity would be playing a competitive sport, running, gymnastics or swimming.

Put Heart Stickers and Other Caring Messages on Healthy Foods  It Works

Most people probably don’t associate veggies with love and caring. However, according to research published in the Journal of Consumer Behaviour, reminders of companionate love lead to a greater likelihood of making healthy eating choices.

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