Getting fit and healthy is all the rage these days. Those of us who work in healthcare are really excited that people are taking up healthier diets, lifestyles and exercise, but could they be doing more harm than good? And how would you know if a type of exercise was potentially bad for you? A recent article from Wellbeing has a look at some new research about jogging:
“Jogging is like most things in life though; it is the dose that makes the poison… The question is what is the magic zone, the golden amount of something, where you gain its maximum benefits? According to a new study researchers claim to have found that there is an upper limit to the amount of jogging you should do.” (para. 1)
So what is jogging? Jogging is somewhere between walking and running, and many people have developed their own unique style and pace. The study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at a wide variety of participants, comparing 1100 to 3950 sedentary non-joggers over a twelve-year period. There are many observable benefits to jogging, including:
“… the joggers were younger, had a lower prevalence of diabetes and smoking, had lower blood pressure and lower body mass index.” (para. 3).
However, the study observed that there was a point where the benefits start to wear off and the old ‘too much of a good thing’ starts to kick in. Though people who jogged less intensely and frequently experienced health benefits, but those who jogged more intensely and for longer experienced negative effects on their health and wellbeing:
“… people who jogged for between 1 and 2.4 hours per week at a slow or moderate pace… had lower mortality rates. However, the highest mortality rates were found among sedentary people and fast-paced joggers.”(para. 4)
Reference
- To jog or not to jog? – WellBeing
- Image source: DeviantArt
