◎魏國金
Even 15 minutes a day of brisk walking, cycling or swimming could help older adults live longer, according to a review of past research that found any physical activity is better than none.
每天即使快走、騎單車或游泳僅15分鐘，或許都有助於年長者延年益壽，一份對過去研究的檢視分析發現，任何體能活動都要比什麼都沒有好。
For people over age 60, meeting current U.S. guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous exercise was linked to a 28 percent lower risk of dying over about 10 years, compared to being completely sedentary. But even lower levels of exercise were tied to a 22 percent reduction in mortality risk.
對年過60者，符合當前美國中等到劇烈運動指南規範的人，相較於完全不動者，約10年間的死亡率減少28%。即使是較低程度的運動，其死亡機率也會減少22%。
"When our older patients cannot do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week because of chronic diseases, we（the 2008 guidelines）recommend them to be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow," said lead author Dr. David Hupin of the department of clinical and exercise physiology, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, France.
「當年長病患因慢性病無法每週做到150分鐘中等強度的體能活動時，我們（2008年的指南）建議他們在其能力與條件許可下盡量活動，」該研究報告主要作者、法國聖埃蒂安大學附屬醫院臨床與運動生理學系的胡平博士說。
Hupin’s team looked at whether less exercise could still be beneficial. They analyzed data from past studies covering a total of 122,417 men and women between the ages of 60 and 101 in the U.S., Taiwan and Australia.
胡平的研究團隊對於少量運動是否仍有好處進行檢視。他們分析過去研究的資料，這些資料涵蓋12萬2417名年齡從60歲到101歲的美國、台灣、澳洲男性與女性。
The researchers recommend 15 minutes per day of exercise based on these results, but Hupin said adults who couldn’t even meet that goal would benefit by merely moving around more on a consistent basis. "Age is not an excuse to do no exercise," he said.
