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Being active in adolescence could have many health benefits later in life.
A new study has recently discovered that exercising during adolescence prolongs women’s life. The study was conducted with the help of 75,000 adult women, who proved that working out during teen years significantly reduced cancer rates at older ages.
The data has been collected by Shanghai Women’s Health Study and the research saw the participation of 75,000 women with ages between 40 and 70 years old. Scientists have observed the evolution of the participants from their adolescent period until their adult years.
They have thus noticed that women who had practiced sports during their early years had prolonged their lives and they have also eliminated many of the death causes we know today, such as, cancer and diabetes. Interesting patterns have been noticed during the 12.9 yearly interval when the study has been performed.
According to researchers, 5,282 deaths have occurred during this time interval, 2,375 of them as a result of a cancer diagnosis, whereas 1,620 of them from cardiovascular diseases. Female participants, who did not register and particular health problem during this time interval had one thing in common: they have all practiced sports in their adolescence.
Based on the withdrawn data, scientists have concluded that women who are active when young can reduce by 16 percent their risks of developing cancer. In addition they can reduce by 15 percent death risks associated with any other diagnosis. All it takes, scientists have concluded is to exercise for 1.33 hours per week or less.
Being a team member while young can prolong life, but not as much as casual exercising. Statistics have pointed out that these women reduced cancer risks only by 14 percent and all other death risks by 10 percent. Active women can nevertheless, increase their health benefits during their adult life stages if they remain as active as they used to be in adolescence. These women reduce risks for death from all causes by 20 percent, the study has revealed.
Sarah Nechuta, the leading author of the study which was published in Live Science has further declared that other factors should be taken into consideration in addition to the physical activity that women get involved in.
The socioeconomic status, the body mass index and medical reports could also play an important role in prolonging women’s lives; therefore, scientists need to determine whether these facts are a consequence or a condition of the current finding. Future studies will have to focus on this particular aspect, Nechuta has concluded.
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