Re: Running can help slow the ageing process.

On Aug 13, 4:19 am, John Kane <jrkrid...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:58 pm, David Damerell <damer...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:



Quoting  Martin  <martin.d...@xxxxxxxxxx>:

Nineteen years into the study, 34% of the non-runners had died compared
to only 15% of the runners.
Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the runners the onset
of disability started later - an average of 16 years later.

Blatant selection effect. They started with runners and non-runners in
their 50s - now, do we think the first group started in the same average
state of health as the second? No. Did the first group start healthy
because they ran? Yes; but also, anyone with a health problem that would
preclude running which developed before 50 didn't make it into the first
group to begin with.
--
David Damerell <damer...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Kill the tomato!
Today is Gouday, July.

Not even med researchers are typically that stupid, TRT excepted of
course.  If we had the actual paper we probably would see an attempt
to control for this.

No, it is exactly as David said. You had better revise your estimation
of the stupidity of med researchers!

Here is the summary
(from http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/168/15/1638)
--
Background Exercise has been shown to improve many health outcomes
and well-being of people of all ages. Long-term studies in older
adults are needed to confirm disability and survival benefits of
exercise.

Methods Annual self-administered questionnaires were sent to 538
members of a nationwide running club and 423 healthy controls from
northern California who were 50 years and older beginning in 1984.
Data included running and exercise frequency, body mass index, and
disability assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability
Index (HAQ-DI; scored from 0 [no difficulty] to 3 [unable to perform])
through 2005. A total of 284 runners and 156 controls completed the 21-
year follow-up. Causes of death through 2003 were ascertained using
the National Death Index. Multivariate regression techniques compared
groups on disability and mortality.

Results At baseline, runners were younger, leaner, and less likely to
smoke compared with controls. The mean (SD) HAQ-DI score was higher
for controls than for runners at all time points and increased with
age in both groups, but to a lesser degree in runners (0.17 [0.34])
than in controls (0.36 [0.55]) (P < .001). Multivariate analyses
showed that runners had a significantly lower risk of an HAQ-DI score
of 0.5 (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.84). At 19
years, 15% of runners had died compared with 34% of controls. After
adjustment for covariates, runners demonstrated a survival benefit
(hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.82). Disability
and survival curves continued to diverge between groups after the 21-
year follow-up as participants approached their ninth decade of life.

Conclusion Vigorous exercise (running) at middle and older ages is
associated with reduced disability in later life and a notable
survival advantage.
---

While they did claim to pick "healthy controls" they were clearly not
as healthy to start with - they weren't even the same age!

James
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Running can help slow the ageing process.
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  • Re: Running can help slow the ageing process.
    ... Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the runners the onset ... of disability started later - an average of 16 years later. ... How can you possibly control for that? ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)
  • Re: Running can help slow the ageing process.
    ... Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the runners the onset ... of disability started later - an average of 16 years later. ... No. Did the first group start healthy ... anyone with a health problem that would ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)
  • Re: [OT] Running can help slow the ageing process.
    ... Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the runners the onset ... of disability started later - an average of 16 years later. ... No. Did the first group start healthy ... anyone with a health problem that would ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)
  • Re: Running can help slow the ageing process.
    ... On Aug 12, 2:58 pm, David Damerell ... Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the runners the ... No. Did the first group start healthy ... anyone with a health problem that would ...
    (uk.rec.cycling)