Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences
We all know that we should get our exercise. And we all know that this is associated with many positive health outcomes. This includes living longer.
However, we also know that good genes help. We know that some families are long lived. Not only that but we also probably know of some people who seem to have unhealthy, even very unhealthy lifestyles and who seem to live very long lives.
This may suggest that genes are therefore more important than exercise, or physical activity. But is it?
This is the question that a group of researchers set out to answer from the University of California, San Diego.
The researchers around Alexander Posis tracked 5,446 women from 2012 until 2020 and measured their activity with a research-grade accelerometer – and what did they find.
Simple – they found that women with higher levels of light physical activity and moderate to vigorous physical activity had lower risk of death. Those that had higher sedentary time had a higher risk of death. And this was regardless of genetic predisposition.
So, it’s really quite simple. Physical activity will make you live longer irrespective of your genetics. And being sedentary will make you live shorter regardless of your genetics.
Is that enough to get you moving?
Andy Habermacher
Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.
Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).
Reference
Alexander Ivan B. Posis, John Bellettiere, Rany M. Salem, Michael J. LaMonte, JoAnn E. Manson, Ramon Casanova, Andrea Z. LaCroix, Aladdin H. Shadyab.
Associations of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time With All-Cause Mortality by Genetic Predisposition for Longevity.
Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 2022; 1
DOI: 10.1123/japa.2022-0067
More Quick Hits
Only Three Factors Can Predict Mental Illness With 90% Accuracy
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences here are multiple mental disorders that can afflict us human beings. And the assumption is that these are complex in nature and there are a multitude of paths to mental illness....
Cooperation Amongst Strangers Is On the Rise
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences espite a belief in many that society is falling apart and becoming less caring and social this study proves the opposite. A study published by Yuan et al. with the American...
Brain Network For Social Attraction Identified
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences umans do it. Birds do it. Fish do it. So do multitudes of other species. We flock together, come together, are attracted to our kind. We are a social species. But the question is...
The Brainwaves That Boost Creativity
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences outlined here how recent research has shown that the brains of highly creative individuals use different networks, and this also reminded me of separate piece of research from a...
How Creative Brains Function Differently
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences an you learn creativity? Well, you can learn anything, and you can certainly learn to be more creative. But the big question is do those people high in creativity have brains that...
Experts Don’t Give the Best Advice – Just More of It
Quick HitsDaily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences k, that is a massive generalisation, and the research didn’t actually look at experts in the sense that we understand it. It is nevertheless insightful and does indeed match some of...