A NEW study from the University of South Australia has discovered that an increased cardio-fitness level will reduce risk of death from any cause by nearly 20%.
Published in BJSM, the research found that for every one metabolic equivalent (1-MET) increase in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) - the amount of energy used for quiet sitting - a person can reduce their risk of death by 11-17%, and specifically, their risk of heart disease by 18%.
Most people can achieve a 1-MET increase in CRF through a regular aerobic exercise program.
"Cardiorespiratory fitness (or CRF) is your ability to perform physical activity for a long period of time like running, cycling, and swimming," said the study's senior author, University of SA's Professor Grant Tomkinson.
"In this study we found prolonged cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly and consistently associated with all types of premature death and incident disease - spanning heart failure, depression, diabetes, dementia and even cancer."
The research looked at more than 20.9 million observations from 199 unique cohort studies, making it the first study to combine all the scientific evidence that looked at the potential link between cardiorespiratory fitness and health outcomes among adults.
"We summarised the evidence linking CRF to numerous health outcomes and found that those with low levels of CRF are far more likely to die early or develop chronic conditions like heart disease later in life," Tomkinson explained.
"The message is quite simple: if you do a lot of 'huff and puff' exercise, then your risk of dying early or developing diseases in the future is reduced.
"If you avoid exercise your health may suffer."
Chronic health conditions are an ongoing cause of poor health, disability, and premature death.
There is an estimated 11.6 million people (47%) living with chronic and debilitating health conditions in Australia, which contributes to two-thirds of the burden of disease.
People can expect to significantly reduce their risk of death and disease by engaging in additional moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, at least 150 minutes a week. JM
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