Leisure Activities Keep Seniors Kicking.

Older adults who participate weekly in many different types of leisure time activities--such as walking for exercise, jogging, swimming laps, or playing tennis--have a lower risk of death from any cause, as well as death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute.

Using data from 272,550 adults between ages 59 and 82 who had completed questionnaires about their leisure time activities as part of the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, the researchers looked at whether participating in equivalent amounts of seven different exercise and recreational activities--running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and walking for exercise--was associated with lowered risk of death.

It was found that achieving the recommended amount of physical activity per week through any combination of these activities was associated with a 13% lower risk of death from any cause compared with no participation. When they looked at the role of each activity individually, playing racquet sports was associated...