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Experts like to say the best form of exercise is whatever
kind you'll actually do. But that may not always be the case; new research
finds that people who combine exercise with their social lives may be at an
advantage over solitary(独自) exercisers. Tennis, badminton and soccer are all better for
longevity(长寿)
than cycling, swimming, jogging or gym exercise, according to the research.
The study was based on data from about 8,500 adults who were
part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. They completed a health and lifestyle
questionnaire, which included questions about type and frequency of physical
activity, and were monitored by the researchers for around 25 years, a period
during which about 4,500 of the subjects died.
Tennis came out on top in the research. Compared with people
sitting all day, those who reported playing tennis as their main form of
exercise could expect to add 9.7 years to their life time, followed by
badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4
years), jogging (3.2 years) and health-club activities (1.5 years).
Tennis likely took the top spot because "it's very
interactive," says study co-author Dr. James O'Keefe, a physician at Saint
Luke's Mid America Heart Institute. "At every point you're talking. It's
just a very natural way to emotionally bond with people, besides getting your
exercise." But he adds that the study may not have been able to fully
account for the fact that wealthier, better-educated people—who tend to be
healthier to begin with—may be more likely to play tennis.
Activities like running and weight lifting still extend your
life and offer plenty of other health benefits. But for the best possible
benefits, O'Keefe says gym-goers may want to consider combining those workouts
with activities that foster social connection.
O'Keefe, whose exercise typically includes running and
weight lifting, says he's even changed his own behavior because of the study: he
and his family have taken up badminton.
"You can't play badminton without feeling like a kid
again," he says. "It's just pure fun."