Round O' Golf "can confer longevity benefits just as robust as a 100-mile bike ride."

Thanks to all the readers who sent Kevn Hellinker's WSJ story about a new study that suggests a round of golf "can confer longevity benefits just as robust as a 100-mile bike ride."

Be ready to learn about micro traumata.

The study in the Christmas edition of BMJ—the peer-reviewed publication formerly known as the British Medical Journal—is based on the mortality records of 9,889 athletes who competed in the Olympic Games between 1896 and 1936. "Engaging in cycling and rowing (high cardiovascular intensity) had no added survival benefit compared with playing golf or cricket (low cardiovascular intensity)."

The study adds to a small but growing body of research suggesting that years-long doses of extreme exercise—measured by amount or intensity—may be unproductive, if not counterproductive. In general, the research suggests that the well-established longevity benefits of exercise may cease to accrue or may even diminish beyond a point, for instance, 20 miles a week of running.

Comments

[Fergus]

Jeez, it was only five minutes ago that scientists were claiming interval training was superior to endurance exercise. If we wait another five minutes, another group of scientists will refute the new study.
Ad infinitum...

[JerryG]

Another reason to get rid of those danged power carts. I see all these fat guys in carts and wonder why bother. Get out of those danged things and walk. And quit being irritated with the 4 walkers in front of you.

[Ted Ray's Pipe]

of course in the U.K. the vast majority of golfers walk. and from that a select group of former Olympians was studied. conclusion - this would have little to no relevance to that large percentage of American golfers who choose, or are forced at many resorts, to ride rather than walk.

[Matt]

HIIT is a good way to exercise for certain benefits, it does attribute to a higher level of metabolism after the exercise, but its only about 7% higher than standard endurance exercising. But HIIT has been show to increase fat loss over a longer period of time than standard endurance training. Calorie for Calorie, HIIT doesn't outpace Endurance, like doing 60 minutes of endurance will burn more calories than 30 minutes of HIIT. The benefits of HIIT is that its fits into more hectic lifestyles, and it also helps improve endurance as well. Also, HIIT are not boring, they are fast pace, and you better be focuses. People who run for an hour can get easily bored, especially inside on a tredmill.

Also, these cyclist and Rowing would fall closer into the endurance training. HIIT would be sprinting, which would only occur near the finish line for these athletes. Most of them have to pace themselves.

[digsouth]

Everything we know is wrong.

I get amused at those who trust ''science'' as some final answer, when the ''facts'' that ''science'' unveils are changing every few years. One must trust themselves, and their ''gut feeling'', and of course, the ever popular ''smell test''.

If you are intelligent, you can't go wrong with these impressions.

[Nospin]

This says more about the other sports than golf. It also points out how goofy and trendy "studies" are. I can remember being in college in the 70s and all I heard about was a "new ice age" because the Earth was cooling...now I have to listen to the lunatic ravings of Al Gore. It wasn't that long ago "scientists' were issuing dire warnings about caffeine intake...now you can walk eight steps without passing a Starbucks. It's this kind of stuff that scares me about Obamacare...if the govt is paying the bill they'll be all over how we live our lives and who knows if they really have their facts in order? We will be a the mercy of the government and the yahoos who work there and, of course, the media which jumps all over anything irrationally (gun control is a very good example right now of emotional over reaction) if it will sell papers...or advertising online.