Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-u - 14/06/2010
Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009; 43: 482.
Authors: Liisa Byberg, Håkan Melhus, Rolf Gedeborg, Johan Sundström, Anders Ahlbom, Björn Zethelius, Lars Berglund, Alicja Wolk, Karl Michaëlsson
Commentary by Rona Macniven, Centre for Physical Activity and Health (CPAH), University of Sydney
This population-based study examined how a change in level of physical activity after middle age influences mortality, compared with smoking cessation. It is already established that physical activity can improve overall life expectancy but the effects of increases in activity later in life are not yet know.
The participants were 2205 men from Uppsala in Sweden who were aged 50 at the start of the study in 1970-3 and who were followed up for 35 years at ages 60, 70, 77, and 82 years.
Almost ½ of the men reported a high level of physical activity, 36% reported medium activity, corresponding to walks and cycling and 15% were sedentary. At the end of follow-up 60% of the men had died. Most importantly, the men who increased their physical activity level between ages 50 and 60 continued to have a higher mortality rate during the first five years of follow-up. However after 10 years, increased physical activity was associated with reduced mortality to the level of men with unchanged high physical activity.
These findings highlight the fact that it is NEVER too late to start being physically active as those who increase activity levels in middle age and older have a similar reduced rate of mortality to those who were active as younger adults and maintained their activity, at least in men.
Sourced article from Australian Physical Activity Network (auspanet@heartfoundation.org.au)
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