Does any proof exist that exercise can help a person live longer?
Absolutely. In fact, the largest study measuring fitness ever conducted found that regular exercise will indeed help a person live longer. Led by Dr. Steven Blair of the Institute of Aerobics Research in Dallas, the eight-year study evaluated the fitness and mortality levels of 13,344 men and women. Researchers involved with the study found that exercise reduces the death rate from all causes, particularly cancer and heart disease. Physical fitness was measured by each subjects performance on a standardized treadmill testa test which is designed to accurately assess aerobic fitness (the most commonly accepted indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness). Based on the test results, the subjects were then grouped by gender into five categories ranging from least to most fit.
