Jogging Keeps Our Bodies Young

Jogging, as contrasted with walking, really does keep us young.  That’s the verdict from researchers at Humboldt State University, where a recent study found that people who run at least 30 minutes, three times a week were less likely to experience age-related physical decline in walking efficiency than those who simply walked. Humboldt State Now reports that researchers looked at self-reported older joggers over the age of 65—those who ran at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week—and self-reported walkers, those who walked three times a week for 30 minutes. To learn exactly how much younger the joggers’ bodies were, the researchers put them on a treadmill and had them walk at three speeds (1.6, 2.8 and 3.9 miles per hour) as they measured their oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. The envelope please…Overall, older joggers were 7-10 percent more efficient at walking than older adults who just walked for exercise. Wait, there’s more: their metabolic cost was similar to young people in their 20s.