Here’s a fresh prescription for seniors who want to live longer and lower their odds of dying from cancer or heart disease: Lace up your running shoes or grab your tennis racket.
A new U.S. National Cancer Institute study found older folks who played racquet sports lowered their risk of death by 16% over a 12-year follow-up. Running cut the risk by 15%.
Daily walking, jogging, swimming laps and playing tennis are some of the sports researchers looked at, but, they said, any moderate physical activity done weekly will do the trick.
“It’s never too late to start,” said lead researcher Eleanor Watts, a postdoctoral fellow. “So if you’re inactive and you’re older, you can still reap substantial rewards by increasing physical activity.”…