Looking for a sport that will keep you alive longer? Try tennis. Or squash.  People who play racquet sports, according to researchers at the University of Sydney, have an almost 50 percent lower risk of dying from any cause. And playing a racquet sport was linked to a 56 percent lower risk of death from heart disease during the 15-year-long study period. A U of Sydney news release reports on the study, which included data from 80,000 adults (average age 52) in England and Scotland. And now the numbers:
Compared with study participants who did not participate in the corresponding sport, risk of death from any cause was:
- 47 per cent lower among those who played racquet sports (tennis, squash, badminton)
- 28 per cent lower among swimmers
- 27 per cent lower among those who participated in aerobics
- 15 per cent lower among cyclists.
Compared with study participants who did not participate in the corresponding sport, risk of death from cardiovascular disease was:
- 56 per cent lower among those who played racquet sports
- 41 per cent lower among swimmers
- 36 per cent lower among those who participated in aerobics.