New Study Finds That Doing the Healthy Thing Is Healthier Than Not Doing It
Researchers confirm, in a peer-reviewed paper, that exercise is good and sitting still for sixteen hours is less good.
A new study published in the Journal of Health and Things has found that doing the healthy thing — exercising, eating vegetables, sleeping — produces better health outcomes than not doing those things, adding to a growing body of research on the subject.
"What we found was pretty striking," said lead author Dr. Patricia Holm. "People who did the healthy behaviors were, on measurable dimensions, healthier than people who did not."
The study, which followed 2,400 participants over three years at a cost of $1.8 million, controlled for age, income, and existing conditions before arriving at findings that broadly align with what has been known since approximately the fifth century BC.
Participants who exercised regularly reported higher energy levels, better sleep, and improved mood. Participants who did not exercise reported lower energy levels, worse sleep, and diminished mood.
"The implications are significant," said Dr. Holm. "We think this could change how people think about health."
Readers who learned of the study reported feeling briefly motivated before returning to whatever they were doing.