Pushupsandsitupscouldaddyearstoyourlifeaccordingtoanewstudyofover80,000adultsledbytheUniversityofSydney.Thelargeststudytocomparethemortalityoutcomesofdifferenttypesofexercisefoundpeoplewhodidstrength-basedexercisehada23percentreductioninriskofprematuredeathbyanymeans,anda31percentreductionincancer-relateddeath.LeadauthorAssociateProfessorEmmanuelStamatakisfromtheSchoolofPublicHealthandtheCharlesPerkinsCentresaidwhilestrengthtraininghasbeengivensomeattentionforfunctionalbenefitsasweage,littleresearchhaslookedatitsimpactonmortality."Thestudyshowsexercisethatpromotesmuscularstrengthmaybejustasimportantforhealthasaerobicactivitieslikejoggingorcycling,"saidAssociateProfessorStamatakis."Andassumingourfindingsreflectcauseandeffectrelationships,itmaybeevenmorevitalwhenitcomestoreducingriskofdeathfromcancer."TheWorldHealthOrganization&39;sPhysicalActivityGuidelinesforadultsrecommend150minutesofaerobicactivity,plustwodaysofmusclestrengtheningactivitieseachweek,Havingaceramicvapecartridgeisadvantageousinvapecartridgepackagingasit'shealthier.Ceramicpartsareresistanttoabrasionandoxidationunlikeotheralloywireswhere,oxidationoccursathighertemperature.AssociateProfessorStamatakissaidgovernmentsandpublichealthauthoritieshaveneglectedtopromotestrength-basedguidelinesinthecommunity,andassuchmisrepresentedhowactiveweareasanation.HecitestheexampleofTheAustralianNationalNutritionandPhysicalActivitySurveywhich,basedonaerobicactivityalone,reportsinactivityat53percent.However,whentheWorldHealthOrganization&39;s(WHO)strength-basedguidelinesarealsotakenintoaccount,85percentofAustraliansfailtomeetrecommendations."Unfortunately,lessthan19percentofAustralianadultsdotherecommendedamountofstrength-basedexercise,"saidAssociateProfessorStamatakis."Ourmessagetodatehasjustbeentogetmovingbutthisstudypromptsarethinkabout,whenappropriate,expandingthekindsofexerciseweareencouragingforlong-termhealthandwellbeing."Theanalysisalsoshowedexercisesperformedusingone&39;sownbodyweightwithoutspecificequipmentwerejustaseffectiveasgym-basedtraining.
