Live an Extra 10 Years!

You probably know the answer to this suggestion, but anyway . . . There’s no harm in acquiring extra proof of the benefits of exercise. A review published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that there is a clear relationship between aerobic fitness and independence in old age. Aerobic fitness deteriorates inexorably from middle age onwards, the maximum oxygen intake (VO2max) falling by about 5 ml/kg/min every 10 years. When the VO2max reaches a low level (18 ml/kg/min in men, 15 ml/kg/min in women) – usually by the age of 80 to 85 – there is loss of independence.

Fortunately regular aerobic exercises can slow or even reverse this deterioration. According to the author, Dr Roy Shephard of the University of Toronto, it can reduce someone’s biological age by 10 years or more. The required exercise amount? ‘A long period of high-intensity aerobic exercise’ should do the trick. In previously sedentary people, training at 75% of aerobic power, for 30 minutes, 3 times a week over 6 months increases VO2 max an average of 15-20%.

There’s a rough but simple way of determining your VO2max. You only need a stopwatch and a measured track – say 400 meters. Run or walk continuously for 12 minutes, trying to keep a constant pace throughout. Note the total distance covered and use one of the following formulae to predict your VO2max:

For distance in yards: 0.0206 x yards covered minus 11.3 = VO2max.
For distance in meter: 0.0225 x meters covered minus 11.3 = VO2max.

For example, if you cover 3000 meters, your VO2max will be: 0.0225 x 3000 - 11.3 = 56.2 ml/kg/min.

A simpler method than this is especially suitable for older people. Walk for 1 mile (1600 meters) as quickly as possible. As soon as you complete the distance, record your time and your heart rate. Enter your result into the calculator found at the very bottom of the VO2max page.