No-sweat exercise may prolong life for the elderly, says study

Paris

A FEW HOURS a week of light exercise - walking the dog, pottering about in the garden - lower the risk of death in older men, even if workouts are brief, researchers said on Tuesday.

Their findings, reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, challenge two long-held assumptions about the benefits of physical activity for the elderly.

To improve health and reduce the risk of dying, according to many national health authorities, workouts must be strenuous and more long lasting.

In Britain, for example, the elderly are advised to do moderate-to-intense exercise at least 150 minutes per week, divided up into segments of no less than 10…