Running at least once a week can save your life

Are you lazy to go jogging? Does the accumulated tiredness of the workday or do the children do not feel like getting up from the couch? Well a new study can change your perception of the matter and help you put on your shoes and go jogging for a while.

An investigation carried out by researchers from several international universities and published in the scientific journal 'British Journal of Sports Medicine', argues that running only once a week reduces the risk of premature death in 27% regarding not doing any exercise.

"This is one good news for adults who find it difficult to find time to exercise, "he told Science News Elaine Murtagh, exercise physiologist at Mary Immaculate College (Ireland), who has not participated in the study. "Running, even a little, is better than nothing".

Study studies

Those responsible for this study took as a reference 14 previously published studies, in which they participated 232,149 people whose running habits were analyzed and their health was monitored during a period of time between 5 to 35 years.

"There was no significant difference between frequency, duration or pace"

The researchers found that the runners, even those who reported running as infrequently as once a month, had 27 percent less of risk of death from any cause compared to those who ran nothing.

Each study differed slightly in the way they defined a corridor, which made it difficult to define exactly how much is the minimum necessary to get health benefits. However, Željko Pedišić, from the University of Victoria (Australia) and one of the authors of the study, argues that just taking a few walks a week is not enough.

Minimum and maximum

The lowest risk of premature death was similar independently of whether the runner ran once a week for less than 50 minutes or ran every day of the week and totaled 250 minutes. "All are significantly associated with a lower risk of death. There was no significant difference between frequency, duration or pace"says Pedišić.

Although it is needed more research to determine if there is a running time limit from which benefits are no longer obtained for health, this study agrees with other reports that have found positive aspects for health in any level of physical activity.