Per mile run, their improvements in good cholesterol and blood pressure were equal to those recorded in younger runners, while their ability to shed inches from their waist may be even greater. Whereas the Surgeon General's report on physical activity, released in July, emphasizes the benefits of moderate activity, this new study documents the benefits of vigorous activity in older men. Gardening, walking, and household cleaning are examples of moderate activity. One possible explanation is that with age, metabolism rates change. Dr. Ronald Krauss, senior scientist at Berkeley Lab, warns that older men should have their LDL-cholesterol levels checked and, when appropriate, treated.
Exercise is an important adjunct to diet and cholesterol-lowering drugs.
As the National Runners' Health Study continues, Williams will recontact those who have participated in this particular project. Information will be requested on injuries, hospitalization, self-sufficiency, and cognitive abilities. Over time, direct evidence of the incidence of heart disease and cancer in higher mileage runners will be assembled. Though time will tell, Williams makes a prediction. Based on the current data, he expects that sexagenarians and septuagenarians will have reduced heart disease risk in proportion to their vigorous activity.