Humans have been evolving since the start of time and the thought of your grandparents taking off for a morning jog is no longer nonsense.
Being active has long been a major factor in a long lifespan, and a study, ‘The active grandparent hypothesis: Physical activity and the evolution of extended human healthspans and lifespans’, has said humans are not meant to become sedentary.
David E Liberman, Harvard University evolutionary biologist and lead author of the study, says physical activity reduces illness and injury and extends longevity.
“Contrary to the widespread belief that human life-spans until recently were short, hunter-gatherers who survive infancy and childhood tend to live on average seven decades, approximately 20 years past the age at which they cease reproducing, and fossil evidence indicates that extended human lifespans were common by 40,000 years ago,” the authors state in the paper.
“While the number of daily steps older Americans take decreases by about half between the ages of 40 and 70, daily walking distances among hunter-gatherers such as the Hadza [a modern hunter-gatherer people living in northern Tanzania]decline only modestly with age.”
Benefits of being active
The Australian Government’s Department of Health state a slight increase in activity each day can improve your health and wellbeing. It can help:
- reduce the risk of health issues, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, heart disease and some cancers;
- maintain a healthy weight;
- reduce the risk of falls and injury;
- give you more energy;
- improve your sleep;
- reduce stress and anxiety;
- improve concentration; and
- improve your mental health.
“The key take-home point is that because we evolved to be active throughout our lives, our bodies need physical activity to age well. In the past, daily physical activity was necessary in order to survive, but today we have to choose to exercise, that is, do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness,” said Mr Liberman.
You don’t have to run a marathon – but exercise is good for the mind and body.
