Playing Golf May Benefit Older Adults More than Nordic Walking: Study

Portrait of Smiling Asian senior man golfer holding golf club standing on golf course in summer sunny day. Healthy elderly male enjoy outdoor lifestyle activity sport golfing at golf country club.In recent years, Nordic walking has become increasingly popular among older adults as an easy way to stay active—but research suggests playing golf may provide even greater benefits.

As age begins to advance, many people think more and more about their physical health. But with a plethora of different exercise regimes to choose from, it can be hard to determine which activity is the best for maintaining optimal health in later life.

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The health advantages of aerobic exercise in helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases are well documented as a way to reduce the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia (an abnormal amount of lipids in the blood causing problems such as high cholesterol). However, these studies have mostly been focused on younger people who participate in acute bouts of exercise lasting 30 to 60 minutes at moderate to high intensity. This has led to little information on the impact of exercise on older people.

This led a team of researchers from Finland to compare the acute effects of three types of aerobic exercises to markers of cardiometabolic health, including duration, intensity, and energy expenditure.

For the study, researchers analyzed 25 healthy older golfers aged 65 and above and compared the three exercises’ effects on their health. The aerobic exercises included an 18-hole round of golf, 6km of Nordic walking, and a 6km walk. Their blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipid profiles were all tested in a real-life environment.

The results showed that all three types of exercise improved cardiovascular performance in older adults with a decrease in systolic blood pressure. Nordic walking was also found to lower diastolic blood pressure.
Despite the lower intensity of the exercise, those who played golf showed a positive effect on lipid profile and glucose metabolism.

Researchers noted, “These age-appropriate aerobic exercises can be recommended to healthy older adults as a form of health-enhancing physical activity to prevent cardiovascular diseases and can also be used as a treatment strategy to improve cardiometabolic health among those who already have a cardiovascular disease.”

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Author Bio

Sarah began her interest in nutritional healing at an early age. After going through health problems and becoming frustrated with the conventional ways doctors wanted to treat her illness (which were not working), she took it upon herself to find alternative treatments. This led her to revolutionize her own diet to help her get healthier and tackle her health problems. She began treating her illness by living a more balanced lifestyle through healthy food choices, exercise and other alternative medicine such as meditation. This total positive lifestyle change led her to earn a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London, England. Today, Sarah enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. Also, passionate about following her dreams in life, Sarah moved to France and lived in Paris for over 5 years where she earned a certification in beadwork and embroidery from Lesage (an atelier owned by Chanel). She then went on to be a familiar face sitting front row and reporting from Paris Fashion Week. Sarah continues to practice some of the cultural ways of life she learned while in Europe. They enjoy their food, and take the time to relax and enjoy many of life’s little moments. These are life lessons she is glad to have brought back home with her.

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https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-02-playing-golf-healthy-nordic-older.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/fitness-trend-nordic-walking

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