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Jogging Is Good for Seniors Too
Jogging has been out of favour for some time in the medical
fraternity. But evidence is now bringing it back as a foremost
health aid for all - including senior citizens.
A study of almost 5,000 men at the Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen
(published in the British Medical Journal) showed that regular
runners lived significantly longer than non-joggers and those
who jogged only occasionally.
Then, up came Professor Jim Fries, an expert in healthy ageing,
and his colleagues at Stanford's school of medicine. They followed
538 runners and 423 couch potatoes for no less than 17 years.
They found that only 5 per cent of the joggers experienced osteoarthritic
pain during that time, compared with 20 per cent of the sedentary
group. "Traditionally arthritis was thought to be a disease
of wear and tear," Fries said. "But we now know that running
without an existing injury or illness helps you to stay fit
for longer, and means that you are four times more likely to
avoid disability."
Next up in the witness box is Dr. Kisou Kubota of Nihon Fukushi
University in Handa, Japan. His findings were presented in San
Diego at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. They showed
that individuals consistently scored higher on intellectual
tests after embarking on a running program.
"These improvements, however, went down when the joggers stopped
their training, which suggests that ongoing exercise is required
to maintain the benefit," he concluded.
Dr Kabata's joggers had to run for 30 minutes, two to three
times a week for at least 12 weeks. Each of the runners also
took a series of complex computer-based tests, to compare memory
skills before and after the three-month jogging program. After
12 weeks of jogging, scores on all of the tests "significantly
increased" in the runners, as did their reaction times in completing
the tests. how exercise might strengthen mental sharpness is
unclear, but previous research suggests that maintaining a healthy
flow of blood and oxygen protects the brain. The Japanese researchers
note that oxygen intake rose along with joggers' test scores.
Kubota said the research may someday help doctors "find a way
to use exercise and running to help aged people and those with
Alzheimer's disease" improve their cognitive function.
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