Scientific studies have concluded that tennis players live almost 10 years longer than people who do not exercise.
One of these studies is the Østerbroundersøgelsen, a Danish population study that followed the development of cardiovascular diseases in relation to various risk factors. The researchers behind the study found that tennis players were 78 percent more likely to not die in a 12-year period than sedentary individuals.
A possible explanation for this result is that tennis is a form of exercise that involves both physical activity and social interaction.
This can have positive effects on both the body and the mind. Other forms of exercise that also have a social aspect, such as badminton, soccer, and swimming, were also shown to extend lifespans.
In contrast, the study showed that runners who had a high pace and ran more than four hours a week did not live longer than sedentary individuals. This suggests that there is a balance between training too much and too little, and that moderate exercise is healthier than intense exercise.
A 2018 English study, which analyzed data from more than 80,000 adults in England and Scotland, showed that tennis players had a 47 percent lower risk of dying over nine years than people who did not exercise. The study also found that other forms of exercise with a social element, such as badminton, squash, and golf, were associated with lower mortality than more individual activities such as running, cycling, and swimming.
The researchers behind the study suggested that the social aspect of some sports could have a positive influence on mental health, stress levels, and quality of life, which in turn could affect physical health and lifespan. However, they emphasized that any form of exercise is better than none and that people should choose the activity they enjoy the most and can stick with.
According to the English study, which analyzed data from more than 80,000 adults in England and Scotland, tennis players lived an average of 9.7 years longer than people who did not exercise. This was the highest increase in lifespan among the six sports that the study examined.
Tennis: 9.7 years Swimming: 7.2 years Aerobics: 6.9 years Soccer: 4.7 years Cycling: 3.7 years Running: 3.2 years
This means that people who played these sports regularly had a lower risk of dying over nine years than people who did not exercise.
Sources:
