Sport is health. That is what has always been said as a motto to promote physical and sports activity among the population. But it is not just an advertising slogan, but a scientific fact. Various studies confirm that continued sports practice, adapted to each person's physical condition, improves health and reduces the risk of suffering from certain ailments and diseases. However, the cliché persists that sports are for young people, and that after a certain age, the best way to take care of oneself is to avoid activities that involve a certain cardiovascular intensity, such as going for a run or doing long sessions on a bicycle. At what age is it necessary to start giving up sports practice?
"When a person leads an active sporting life, they are guaranteeing themselves a 70 percent chance of ensuring a satisfactory aging"
It seems that the answer is never. "Physical activity makes the effects of aging on the body less severe, you age more slowly, and there is a lower tendency to suffer from low mood, depression, or anxiety," explains Juanjo Torres, medical director of Cuidum. Cuidum is a company dedicated to the care and attention of the elderly. Their healthcare professionals confirm that sports and physical exercise provide clear benefits at any age. "It is important for each person to develop exercise habits tailored to them, with proper supervision and adapted to each individual's possibilities," Torres points out.
Sport, the best medicine
For the experts at Cuidum, "physical exercise is the best medicine." And not only because of its direct effect on health, but because constant sports activity over the years prevents certain ailments and diseases and delays the effects of aging. In the words of Juanjo Montesa, "when a person has a proper diet and leads an active life, they are guaranteeing themselves a 70 percent chance of ensuring satisfactory aging. People who exercise have a lower risk of suffering from an endless list of diseases associated with aging. Physical activity makes the effects of aging on the body less severe, and sport makes you age more slowly."
Various scientific studies confirm this
. Thus, for example, a team of researchers conducted a study in which they analyzed energy expenditure during a session of carrera in people over 60 years old. Their conclusion was that, from that age, those who have maintained constant physical activity throughout their lives have greater energy efficiency than many young people around 20 years old.