Consistent running, even in short amounts, can improve cardiovascular fitness. A study published in the August issue of the Journal of American College of Cardiology reports that runners of any kind have a 45 percent lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular issue.
The US government and World Health Organization recommend 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity, but this study shows that even 5 minutes a day of running can contribute to health.
Researchers tracked 55,137 adults for a 15-year period in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, looking to see if there is a relationship between running and longevity. Participants were asked to complete a survey of their running habits. During the study period, 3,413 participants died including 1,217 from cardiovascular-related issues. Twenty-four percent of the participants reported running as part of their exercise.
Researchers found that runners had a 30 percent lower risk of death overall and 45 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular issues such as heart disease or stroke. They also lived an average of three years longer. The benefits persisted, even after taking into consideration other factors such as obesity or smoking status.
The amount of time spent running was not as predictive of longevity. Lead author Duck-chul Lee, assistant professor in Kinesiology at Iowa State University found that runners who ran less than an hour had the same longevity benefits as runners who ran more than three hours a week.
They instead found that consistency was a key factor. They found that runners who ran consistently over a six-year period had the most benefits.
"Running may be a better exercise option than more moderate intensity exercises for healthy but sedentary people since it produces similar, if not greater, mortality benefits in five to 10 minutes compared to the 15 to 20 minutes per day of moderate intensity activity that many find too time consuming," Lee said.
This study is one of the largest studies to understand the benefits of running in nonmarathoners and nontriathletes. However, since the study was observational, researchers cannot definitively conclude that running was responsible for the lower risks.
While it cannot prove even low levels of running make your heart healthier, the research does suggest that there are health benefits to becoming active even if it's at a lower level, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles.
"Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an attainable health goal for mortality benefits," Lee said.
