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Does Exercise Affect Lifespan?
This week’s newsletter highlights how knowing the answer in advance can undermine science. bit.ly/3HZhS8u
Does Exercise Affect Lifespan?
This week’s newsletter highlights how knowing the answer in advance can undermine science. bit.ly/3HZhS8u
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Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Exercise is associated with the reduction in risk of many adverse conditions, including: metabolic dysregulation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegeneration, and more.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Exercise is associated with the reduction in risk of many adverse conditions, including: metabolic dysregulation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegeneration, and more.
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But is exercise a marker or a maker of improved health? Are all types of exercise created equal when it comes to longevity? Until recently, these questions had not been addressed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Enter the Generation 100 study.
bmj.com/content/371/bm…
But is exercise a marker or a maker of improved health? Are all types of exercise created equal when it comes to longevity? Until recently, these questions had not been addressed in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Enter the Generation 100 study.
bmj.com/content/371/bm…
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Researchers conducted a study to test the effect of exercise and mortality. Half of participants were assigned to the control group & the others were assigned to either a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group, or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group.
Researchers conducted a study to test the effect of exercise and mortality. Half of participants were assigned to the control group & the others were assigned to either a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group, or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group.
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All-cause mortality was nearly 40% lower in participants assigned to HIIT compared with controls, and about 50% lower when HIIT was compared with MICT, but these differences were not statistically significant.
All-cause mortality was nearly 40% lower in participants assigned to HIIT compared with controls, and about 50% lower when HIIT was compared with MICT, but these differences were not statistically significant.
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Given the results, should we conclude that exercise has no effect on all-cause mortality? Upon a closer look…
Given the results, should we conclude that exercise has no effect on all-cause mortality? Upon a closer look…
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we see that participants in the control group were asked to follow the Norwegian physical activity guidelines, which recommends a weekly exercise routine nearly identical to that of the MICT group.
we see that participants in the control group were asked to follow the Norwegian physical activity guidelines, which recommends a weekly exercise routine nearly identical to that of the MICT group.
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Why didn’t the investigators ask participants in the control group to be sedentary in order to test the effect of exercise on mortality? The investigators felt that it would be unethical.
Why didn’t the investigators ask participants in the control group to be sedentary in order to test the effect of exercise on mortality? The investigators felt that it would be unethical.
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It’s a dilemma: to conduct a proper RCT the effect of exercise on mortality, researchers need a control group that is asked not to exercise. If they think that’s unethical, it means they’re already convinced that exercise directly affects lifespans.
It’s a dilemma: to conduct a proper RCT the effect of exercise on mortality, researchers need a control group that is asked not to exercise. If they think that’s unethical, it means they’re already convinced that exercise directly affects lifespans.
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Are we already so confident that exercise directly affects lifespans that this question should be exempt from a randomized controlled clinical trial? And if so, how do we gain insight into this and other “forbidden” research questions?
Are we already so confident that exercise directly affects lifespans that this question should be exempt from a randomized controlled clinical trial? And if so, how do we gain insight into this and other “forbidden” research questions?
11/11
Most likely, a combination of approaches is needed. Together, they’d likely stand a better chance of answering the exercise and longevity question than a single study designed with an inadequate control group. bit.ly/3nXcISr
Most likely, a combination of approaches is needed. Together, they’d likely stand a better chance of answering the exercise and longevity question than a single study designed with an inadequate control group. bit.ly/3nXcISr
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