Jogging May Be Healthier Than Running

The Copenhagen City Heart Study has found that jogging or less strenuous exercise may be healthier for people than running.

The study followed more than 5,000 people for more than a decade and the death rate of those who jogged was markedly lower than that of the people who ran.

“Mild to moderate jogging is probably very beneficial,” says David A. Friedman, MD, chief of heart failure services at Franklin Hospital. “It’s in that more moderate intensity workout genre and it’s something we should all be doing 30 minutes, five times a week. If we can get that kind of activity in, great, and if we can’t, we opt for whatever we can tolerate based on their age and abilities. This compared to a more high-intensity marathon workout, which, according to the study, may not be the best because high-intensity workouts may start to bend that curve downward in terms of overall mortality… There is probably a sweet spot with someone exercising just enough for cardiovascular benefits but not too much to affect the downside.”

One real-world way to know if your exercise is at the moderate intensity level to reap the cardiac benefits is that one should be able to comfortably carry on a conversation while exercising but should not be able to sing during that same fitness activity, Dr. Friedman says.

High-intensity workouts are particularly concerning for people who have valve issues, enlarged hearts and cardiomyopathies, Dr. Friedman says. If you have one of these conditions or are otherwise concerned about your activity level, consult your physician.

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