Do you smoke? Get into physical education!
Physical activity proved to be useful even for light smokers
Ksenia Malysheva, Naked Science
Intense physical activity improves lung function in smokers over the years. This conclusion was reached by a group of researchers who published an article in the journal Thorax.
The researchers processed data collected as a result of 10 years of cooperation between 25 research centers in 11 European countries under the general guidance of specialists from Imperial College London. In total, 3.9 thousand people took part in the study, who were between 25 and 57 years old at the beginning of the study.
All participants of the experiment regularly conducted a spirometric study; scientists measured lung volume in different conditions, and also gave the participants of the experiment questionnaires to find out what kind of lifestyle the subjects lead. "Intensive sports" was considered to be performing a set of exercises or running for at least an hour at least twice a week.
The connection between exercise and lung function turned out to be quite real. Those who were engaged in sports, all indicators were higher than those of people who were indifferent to sports. Over the years, lung function has improved in those who have moved from a passive lifestyle to regular sports, and in those who initially paid attention to physical activity. Lung function in people who were engaged in sports improved over the years, despite the bad habit, the authors note.
Depression of lung function occurs over the years in many people, including non-smokers, but in smokers it occurs especially quickly, and even quitting smoking is not always able to reduce the pace of this process. Intensive exercises can slow down degradation and even reverse it, the authors of the work prove. "Our study demonstrates the particular importance of physical activity for smokers, since they are at risk," explains one of the authors of the work, Elaine Fuertes. Smokers should be warned not only about the dangers of smoking, but also about the beneficial health effects of physical exercise, the authors of the article believe.
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