A new study reported by The New York Times suggests that having an active lifestyle can provide stronger resistance to infections and sicknesses.
It's no surprise to people to find out that having a health lifestyle provides a better shield against common illnesses.
However, scientists who have dedicated their time in the past two years to study the impact of COVID-19 on our bodies have discovered new findings regarding risk factors. Researchers find that there is a connection between an active lifestyle and an increase in immunity defense against diseases.
According to this research study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which reviewed 16 different studies of individuals who kept an active lifestyle during the COVID pandemic, they found that regular exercise led to a lower probability of experiencing severe levels of COVID-19.
David Nieman, a professor of health and exercise science at Appalachian State University, says that for decades now, scientists have found that people with active fitness levels tend to have less issues involving respiratory tract infections, and less likely to suffer from severe diseases.
“The risk of severe outcomes and mortality from the common cold, influenza, pneumonia — they’re all knocked down quite a bit,” Dr. Nieman said. “I call it the vaccine-like effect.”
The British Journal of Sports Medicine study says the following about the findings in this report:
"Regular physical activity seems to be related to a lower likelihood of adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Our findings highlight the protective effects of engaging in sufficient physical activity as a public health strategy, with potential benefits to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19. Given the heterogeneity and risk of publication bias, further studies with standardised methodology and outcome reporting are now needed."
The numbers say that people who workout regularly have a 36% lower risk of being hospitalized due to COVID, and a 43% lower risk of succumbing to the illness compared to individuals who do not engage in any physical activity.
