The systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analysed data from fourteen different studies to determine that running participation is associated with 27 per cent, 30 per cent and 23 per cent lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality, compared to with none at all.
And if get the guilts about slow pace or minimal distance, don't sweat it. Their findings showed benefits were effective for health and life lengthening regardless of weekly frequency, weekly duration, pace and the total volume of running. That means more isn't necessarily better. In fact, running even just once a week, for less than 50 minutes a week, or at a speed below 10 kilometres per hour (a six-minute kilometre) still offered health benefits comparable to those associated with higher “doses” of running.
“This finding may be motivating for those who cannot invest a lot of time in exercise, but it should definitely not discourage those who already engage in higher amounts of running,” Željko Pedišić, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Institute for Health and Sport at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, told Runner’s World.
Add these stats to previous research linking running to a reduced risk of high blood pressure, improved sleep, boosted metabolism and a reduced risk of cancer and you'll be lacing up your joggers ASAP.
This article originally appeared on Women's Health
