Gardening 'linked to longer lives'

Pottering around
the garden or
fixing up the
house has been
linked to a longer
life in a study of
people over the
age of 60.
Older people can
struggle to exercise
vigorously, but the
study said simply
getting off the sofa
and avoiding a
sedentary lifestyle
was a lifesaver.
The Swedish study of 4,232 people suggested
the risks of heart attack and stroke were cut.
The findings were published in the British
Journal of Sports Medicine .
The researchers at the Karolinska University
Hospital in Stockholm, said elderly people
tended to spend more time being sedentary
and less time exercising than people in other
age groups.
So they looked at the activity levels in-between
sitting down and full-on exercise - such as
fixing up the car, home repairs, cutting the
lawn, blackberry picking or going hunting.
Longer life
The results showed that people who were more
active on a daily basis had the lowest risk of a
heart attack, but those who were merely active
without exercising still had a lower risk than
those doing nothing.
Being active reduced the risk of a heart attack
or stroke by 27%, and death from any cause
by 30%, during the 12-year study.
The report said: "A generally active daily life
had important beneficial associations with
cardiovascular health and longevity in older
adults, which seemed to be regardless of
regular exercise."
It said the findings had "high clinical
relevance" for older people, who risked
spending a lot of time on the sofa or lying in
bed.
The scientists involved suggest that sitting for
long periods of time may lower people's
metabolic rate, or a lack of activity may alter
hormones produced in muscle tissue.
These could then have knock-on effects for
overall health.
'On your feet'
Dr Tim Chico, honorary consultant cardiologist
at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: "Although
this study only examined people aged 60, it is
reasonable to assume that the more active
someone is throughout their life, the lower
their risk of cardiovascular disease.
"The message I take from this study is simple.
If you want to reduce your risk of heart
disease, be more active. Don't sit down for
long periods; get up on your feet and do
something you enjoy that involves moving
around."
Christopher Allen, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the
British Heart Foundation, said: "Being
physically active is important in maintaining
good heart health. But, as this study
demonstrates, you don't need a gym
membership to do that.
"As long as they make you feel warmer,
breathe harder and make your heart beat
faster, activities such as DIY and gardening
count towards the 150 minutes of moderate-
intensity [weekly] activity recommended for a
healthy lifestyle."