Topic: Health
A new study found that people who do strength training for about an hour and a half to two hours a week have a lower risk of dying early. This is true even if they don't spend hours in the gym every day.
For a long time, we thought that lifting weights was just for building muscle or looking good. But now, a new study shows that it can do much more than that. It may help us live longer.
The study looked at three big studies in the US that followed nearly 150,000 nurses and other health professionals for up to 30 years. Every few years, these people reported how much time they spent on strength training and aerobic exercise like walking or cycling. Over the 30 years, almost 36,000 of them died, which let the researchers see if there was a connection between muscle-strengthening activity and the risk of dying early.
They found that people who did about 90 to 120 minutes of strength training a week had a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause. This is compared to people who didn't do any strength training at all. The benefit was strongest for two big killers: cardiovascular disease and neurological conditions like dementia.
But here's the interesting part: more wasn't always better. Beyond about two hours of weightlifting a week, the risk didn't go down any further. In fact, people who paired strength training with regular aerobic exercise had the lowest risk of all.
Why It Matters
This is important for Indian students because it shows that taking care of our bodies through exercise can help us live longer and healthier lives. As we grow older, we're more likely to develop diseases like heart disease or diabetes, but by doing strength training regularly, we can reduce our risk.
Key Facts
- The study looked at nearly 150,000 nurses and other health professionals over 30 years.
- People who did about 90 to 120 minutes of strength training a week had a 13% lower risk of dying from any cause.
- The benefit was strongest for cardiovascular disease and neurological conditions like dementia.
- More wasn't always better: beyond two hours of weightlifting a week, the risk didn't go down any further.
- People who paired strength training with regular aerobic exercise had the lowest risk of all.
Key Terms
- Muscle-strengthening activity
- Exercising to build muscle or increase strength
- Aerobic exercise
- Exercise that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe harder, like walking or cycling
Implications
This is important for Indian students because it shows that taking care of our bodies through exercise can help us live longer and healthier lives. As we grow older, we're more likely to develop diseases like heart disease or diabetes, but by doing strength training regularly, we can reduce our risk.
Leave a comment