Exercise intensity does not affect the risk of death in the elderly, according to a new study

Physical activity and regular exercise have long been associated with health and longevity. In observational studies and small trials, people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing chronic illness or die prematurely, and high-intensity exercise (HIIT) is moderate-intensity continuous training (HIIT). It has been suggested that it has many advantages over MICT).

However, there have been no randomized clinical trials to assess the effects of physical activity on morbidity and mortality.

In observational studies, researchers simply observe the effects of factors (in this case, exercise) on a group of people, without changing who is exposed to the factor or who is not. Randomized controlled trials, on the other hand, are conducted to compare the effects of one factor (those who are not exposed to that factor) by exposing one group of people to it and keeping another group as a control.

Now, a new study published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) It shows that HIIT and MICT do not significantly affect mortality from all causes. However, HIIT seems to have a relatively better effect on mortality from all causes than recommended physical activity or MICT.

HIIT, MICT and recommended physical activity

Studies show that recommended physical activity guidelines are almost the same around the world. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity aerobic exercise per week. It can be broken down into high intensity aerobic exercise for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, or 75 minutes per week. More than 3 days a week, minutes per day.

After consulting with an experienced fitness trainer, you can also combine moderate to intense intensity exercises.

You should do resistance training exercises for each muscle group (at least 1 minute each), along with neuromotor exercises that focus on balance, concentration, and agility 2-3 times a week.

Some examples of moderate intensity exercise include active walking, vacuuming, window cleaning, and slow biking. Hiking, jogging, soccer and running are some sort of high intensity exercise.

the study

The study enrolled 1,567 volunteers (approximately 790 women and 777 men) with an average age of 73 years.

All participants were randomized to either HIIT, MICT, or Control (a group with 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily). Volunteers were asked to follow up at the end of the 1, 3, and 5 years.

After 5 years, the average observed mortality rate was 4.6%, 4.7% in the control group, 5.9% in the MICT group, and 3% in the HIIT group.

There was no difference in the development of cancer or cardiovascular disease in any of the groups. About 15% of the control group, 15% of the MICT group, and 15.3% of the HIIT group suffered from cardiovascular disease after 5 years. Similarly, 12.8% of the control group, 11% of the MICT group, and 12% of the HIIT group had cancer after 5 years.

Research limits

Despite their findings, the authors pointed out the following limitations in their study:

Most of the participants, even in the control group, were healthy in the first place.

Participants in the control group adhered to the physical activity plan. Some of them were doing HIIT, but the people in the HIIT group couldn’t keep their regimes in place.

Therefore, while the results of the study do not rule out a link between physical activity and longevity, they question the role of exercise intensity in terms of mortality and morbidity.

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