The Copenhagen City Heart Study followed near 10,000 Danes for 20 years.    Participants were grouped based on type of physical activity, including running, cycling, swimming, 'health club activities' i.e. the gym, tennis, badminton and soccer.

The results were surprising.

Tennis, badminton and soccer were associated with the greatest longevity benefit, adding 10 years to your life!, followed by running, cycling, calisthenics and swimming.

The reasons being these sports don't over stress the heart, are outdoor social games that involve play.

Social relationships were an important indicator predicting longevity as well as other more well-established factors such as smoking and exercise.  We see this in the 'Blue Zones' of the world where the social fabric is key in people living long.

James O'Keefe, a leading cardiologist, believes that the benefits of activities like tennis, badminton and soccer are that they "combine 2 medicines instead of one" - exercise & social interaction.

The take away here is, if you are training for longevity, take it down a couple of notches and make sure you have some play in your life.  We all bond by playing sports and it's important to play as an adult, not only for stress relief but as a natural antidepressant. 

Support your longevity.

To book a discovery call please email me at hello@deborahmctaggart.com

 Deborah McTaggart is a Nutritionist in London specialising in nutrition, health and performance.