Exercise and Aging: The Finnish Study Challenge
The common belief that hitting the gym as hard as you can is the key to a long life has long been perpetuated. However, researchers from Finland's University of Jyvaskyla challenge this notion with a recent study.
Exercise and Mortality: The Finnish Perspective
The expert team examined the exercise habits and biological age of thousands of participants over a span of 45 years. They categorized these participants as sedentary, less active, moderately active, active, and highly active based on their physical activity levels. To calculate biological age, the researchers examined DNA changes.
The results were quite intriguing. Moderately active, active, and highly active individuals had a 15 to 23 percent lower mortality rate compared to the sedentary group. However, after considering factors like weight, smoking, and alcohol consumption, the active group's mortality rate reduced only by 7 percent relative to the sedentary group. Moreover, there was no additional advantage for the highly active category.
The Question of Motivation
This leads us to wonder - could the reason behind the longevity of active individuals be related to factors other than excessive exercise, such as a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and social interaction?
Excessive Exercise and Aging: A Red Flag
Contrary to popular belief, the study suggests that excessively active individuals might actually age faster by almost two years. This claim calls into question the long-held presumption that exercise slows down the internal aging process.
The findings have yet to be reviewed by other experts and were published on medRxiv.
Additional Insights: The Dietary Connection
While the study from the University of Jyvaskyla focuses on the relationship between mental well-being, physical activity, and the COVID-19 pandemic, it does not directly address the impact of excessive exercise on biological aging. However, other studies present interesting findings.
For example, a study mentioned in Medical News Today suggests that diets rich in fast food, processed red meat, and soda but low in fruits and vegetables might be linked to faster biological aging, even among young adults. Conversely, diets high in fruits and vegetables might be associated with slower biological aging[3].
[1] Research on mental well-being and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] Life expectancy and physical activity: the Finnish perspective. [3] Diet and biological aging.
