Swimming good for older men

Swimming cuts men’s risk of dying by about 50% compared with running, walking and not exercising, according to a study by the University of South Carolina.

Dr Steven Blair, who was involved in the project, said the research was good news for those who swim for exercise.

“This is the first report that has examined mortality rates among swimmers in comparison with other types of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle.

“We conclude that men who swim for exercise have better survival rates than their sedentary peers.”

The study  took into account age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, hypertension, other medical factors and family history.

The study’s participants were white men aged 20 to 90 but Blair said the benefits of swimming may be similar for women or for other groups of men.

He found that regular swimmers had higher cardio-respiratory fitness than walkers and sedentary people.

“Swimming may be a good alternative exercise for individuals who cannot participate in running or other forms of physical activity.”