TUESDAY, Feb. 7, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Want to stay healthy into your golden years? Grab a pack of toothpicks and head to the green, new research suggests.
Golf outperformed walking or even Nordic walking (a full-body exercise that involves walking with special poles) when it came to improving several key indicators of heart health in one small study.
"The results of this study are intended to encourage older adults to spend more time on the golf course and play while walking," said study author Julie Kettinen, a doctoral student in the Institute for Biomedicine/Exercise and Sports Therapy at Eastern University. . Finland in Kuopio. "Golf is a great way to practice because it motivates people to keep moving, often without realizing how far they've progressed while playing."
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In the study, researchers compared the impact of playing 18-hole golf on heart health with walking approximately 5.7 km or Nordic walking among 25 healthy golfers aged 65 and older. The researchers measured blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The participants also wore heart monitors and exercise equipment to track distance, time, pace, steps and calories burned.
The study found that all three types of aerobic exercise improved heart health after one session, but golf was the big winner.
Golf is a less strenuous exercise than walking and Nordic walking, but an 18-hole round of golf lasts about four hours, and players can walk up to six miles per round. As a result, golfers burn more calories, which has a greater impact on cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
"Golf is a healthy form of exercise and can be recommended to healthy older adults as a way to prevent cardiovascular disease and improve heart health in those who already have [heart disease]," Kettinen said.
However, golf is not for everyone, walking and Nordic walking also have great health benefits.
“These age-appropriate aerobic exercises can be recommended for healthy older adults as a way to improve their physical health and prevent cardiovascular disease, and can also serve as a treatment strategy to improve heart health in people who already have cardiovascular disease. " She said.
The study had its share of limitations, including its small size. The researchers also only included golfers. Nordic walking was considered a new type of exercise for most of the participants, which could lead to poor technique and reduced performance.
The new study was published online February 6 in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine .
Dr. Andrew Murray is Co-Director of the Edinburgh Sports Medicine and Exercise Research Network in Scotland and Medical Director of the European Tour and Ryder Cup Europe.
"Golf is a health-promoting physical activity, and this study shows that golf has even more benefits than walking or Nordic walking," says Murray, who was not involved in the study.
“One of the reasons why golf can be such an effective drug is that it is available to people of all ages,” he said. "Whether you're 3 years old or 103 years old, playing golf is likely good for your health, and there are a number of sports that people can play throughout their lives."
Golf also has significant mental health benefits and helps people stay connected and interact with others. Maintaining social connections can help reduce your chances of developing dementia.
According to Murray, previous research has shown that people over the age of 80 can play golf for the first time and enjoy it.
Learn more about golf from the American Council on Exercise.
SOURCES: Julia Kettinen, PhD, doctoral student, Institute of Biomedicine/Sports and Physiotherapy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Andrew Murray, MD, Associate Director, Edinburgh Sports and Exercise Therapeutic Center, Edinburgh, Scotland; BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine , February 6, 2023, online