A recent study finds that regular aerobic exercise, commonly known as “cardio,” significantly reduces the risk of death from flu or pneumonia.
Interestingly, the study also suggests that there may be an optimal level of physical activity beyond which the benefits either plateau or, in the case of muscle strengthening, might even be counterproductive.
The research analyzed data from 577,909 adults who participated in the National Health Interview Survey from 1998 to 2018.
The participants were categorized based on their adherence to recommended weekly physical activity levels, which include at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, and muscle strengthening activities twice a week.
Key Findings: Cardio Outperforms Muscle Strengthening
Reduced Risk of Death: Those who met both aerobic and muscle strengthening targets had a 48% lower risk of dying from flu or pneumonia compared to those who met neither.
Aerobic Activity Benefits: Even lower levels of aerobic activity (10-149 minutes per week) showed a 21% reduced risk, challenging the notion that this level is ‘insufficient’.
Muscle Strengthening Observations: While two sessions per week of muscle strengthening activities reduced the risk by 47%, surprisingly, seven or more weekly sessions were linked to a 41% increased risk.
Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Factors
The study highlighted significant differences in physical activity levels based on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, health conditions, and vaccination status.
A notable finding was that a third of the participants were aerobically inactive, and 78% engaged in less than two muscle strengthening sessions per week.
The average monitoring period was nine years, during which 81,431 participants died, with 1,516 deaths due to flu and pneumonia. However, the study’s observational nature means it cannot definitively establish cause and effect.
Additionally, the reliance on personal recall and capturing only leisure-time physical activities in bouts of 10 or more minutes could have influenced the results.
Conclusions and Public Health Implications
The researchers suggest that efforts to reduce flu and pneumonia mortality should focus on decreasing aerobic inactivity and promoting at least two episodes per week of muscle-strengthening activity.
This study underscores the importance of regular aerobic exercise in mitigating risks associated with respiratory illnesses and highlights the need for a balanced approach to physical fitness.
If you care about lung health, please read studies about marijuana’s effects on lung health, and why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
The research findings can be found in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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