Another wonderful senior athlete just won the 50- and 100-meter dash at the National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins. She is 103! She won gold metals in both the 50-meter dash and the 100-meter dash in the women’s 100-plus division. Yes there are others. Hawkins became the oldest female competitor in the United States.  She was reported as saying “My first run was at the age of 100.”  She set the world record for the 100-meter dash in her age group in 2017.  She started cycling later in life, winning multiple national titles in this sport.  She is the mother of four, grandmother of three and  great grandmother of three.  She didn’t need much training. “I’ve been running all my life,” she said. Julia also set a new U.S.A. track and field record as the oldest woman to compete on an American track.

Hawkins said her longevity is due to moving. She doesn’t do any exercises particularly. She doesn’t do any other exercise except gardening. She said she is careful how she eats. Eating healthy foods and keep her weight at a certain point.

Dharam Pal Singh, a farmer from India, credits herbal chutney and fruit for his sustained fitness. Sports officials do not believe his age! How would anyone?

If Singh really was 119, born on October 6, 1897, as his passport said, his presence would be extraordinary at the World Masters Athletics Championships. This would make him not only the oldest known runner in the world but probably the oldest man in the world.

Dr. Thomas T. Perls of Boston, a leading researcher on centenarians, said the oldest age ever validated for a man was 115. The eldest confirmed person was Jeanne Cahment, a French woman who died  in 1997 at 122.

Keeping physically active or becoming more active during middle and older age is associated with a lower risk of death, regardless of past activity levels or existing health conditions, suggests a large UK study published by THE BMJ today.

At the population level, meeting and maintaining at least the minimum public health recommendations (150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity) would potentially prevent 46% of deaths associated with physical inactivity, say the researchers.

Previous studies have linked physical activity to lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. But few studies have linked physical activity over time are associated with subsequent risk of death.

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) study, who were recruited between 1992-1997 to study this knowledge gap.

They used data for 14,599 men and women age 40-79 from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) in this study.

Participants were assessed at the start of the study and then again three times over an average of 7.6 years, along with other risk factors up to 2004. From this point in time, mortality was assessed up to 2016, for an average of 12.5 years of follow-up.

Physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was derived from questionnaires and calibrated against combined movement and heart monitoring measurements.

Overall physical activity included activity at work (e.g. sedentary office work, standing work, physical and heavy manual work) and leisure-time activity, such as cycling, sports and recreational activities.

During the study period, there were 3,148 deaths, including 950 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 1,091 deaths from cancer. After controlling for existing levels, higher physical activity levels and increases in physical activity over time were associated with a lower risk of death.

After controlling for existing physical activity and other risk factors such as diet, body weight, medical history, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, higher physical activity levels and increases in physical activity over time were associated with a lower risk of death.

Results were similar in those with and without a history of cardiovascular disease and cancer. What’s more, compared with consistently inactive people, those who became more active over time had a lower risk of death from all causes, regardless of past activity levels.

But the benefits were greatest for those with existing high levels of physical activity who became even more active over time, with a 42% lower risk of mortality.

This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish cause. And the authors point out that the sample was made up of people who were available for follow-up almost a decade after initial recruitment.

But they say that this is a large study with long follow-up and repeat monitoring, that controlled for established risk factors.

“The results are encouraging, not least for middle aged and older adults with existing cardiovascular disease and cancer, who can still gain substantial longevity benefits by becoming more active, lending further support to the broad public health benefits of physical activity,” they wrote.

“In addition to shifting the population towards meeting the minimum physical activity recommendations, public health efforts should also focus on the maintenance of physical activity levels, specifically preventing declines over mid to late life,” they conclude.