Sydney, Australia — According to researchers at the University of Sydney, exercise alone cannot make up for a poor diet. Even if you spend the day and night in the gym or run laps, you should avoid fatty processed foods. Researchers conclude that high levels of physical activity do not counteract the harmful effects of a poor diet on mortality risk.
The authors of the study add that individuals who exercised frequently and adhered to a healthy diet showed the lowest risk of death. In other words, that’s the way to go!
In a large collection of adults in the United Kingdom (360,600), the team examined the independent combined effects of diet and physical activity on all causes, cardiovascular disease, and risk of death from cancer.That data was provided by UK Biobank ProjectAn ongoing large-scale biomedical study that monitors participants’ biological, behavioral, and health changes over time.
What is a “healthy diet”?
For the purposes of this study, researchers have defined a high-quality diet to include at least 5 parts of fruits and vegetables daily, 2 parts of fish each week, and overall low consumption of lean and processed meats. ..
People who exercise regularly and have a healthy diet have a 17% lower risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular compared to those who are inactive and have a poor diet. The risk of death from the disease is 19% lower and 27% lower. Reduced risk of death associated with certain cancers.
“Both regular physical activity and a healthy diet play important roles in promoting health and longevity,” said Melody Ding, a senior research author at the Charles Perkins Center and School of Health Studies at the University. It is stated in the announcement of. “Some people may think that high levels of exercise can offset the effects of poor diet, and high quality diets can offset the effects of low physical activity, but unfortunately the data do. It shows that it is not. “
“Adherence to both a quality diet and adequate physical activity is important to optimally reduce the risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer,” said a study from the School of Medicine’s School of Public Health. The author, Joe Van Buskark, adds. health.
Earlier projects have suggested that strenuous exercise may help prevent adverse physiological responses to binge eating, but the Australian team has shown that diet and exercise interact with health outcomes. The long-term nature of the method of determination is said to remain badly unstudied. This study confirms the importance of exercise and a quality diet, at least in relation to all causes and the risk of death inherent in the cause.
“This study emphasizes the importance of both physical activity and dietary quality in achieving the greatest reduction in mortality risk,” concludes Professor Ding. “Public health messages and clinical advice should focus on promoting both physical activity and dietary guidelines to promote healthy longevity.”
The study is published at British Journal of Sports Medicine.
