Study senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis explained, “Our findings indicate that it’s not only how much and how often, but also what type of exercise you do that seems to make the difference. Participation in specific sports may have various benefits for health. These observations with the existing evidence should support the sport community together with other sectors to design and implement effective health-enhancing exercise programs and physical activity in general.”
The study looked at data from over 80,000 people. The aim was to determine which sports were most beneficial in reducing mortality.
The researchers also uncovered that swimming and aerobics were associated with a 30 percent reduction of premature death from any cause. Cycling reduced the risk by 15 percent. Heart disease mortality was 41 percent lower among swimmers and 36 percent lower among those who did aerobics.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.