A new study revealed the 3 most important activities that can reduce the risk of premature death, as researchers indicated that they reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
According to the study conducted by the National Cancer Institute in the United States, these activities are racquet sports, jogging and walking.
According to the American network, "CNN", it was conducted on more than 272,000 people, between the ages of 59 and 82, who answered questionnaires about the activities they practice during their spare time.
The study team followed all participants for 12 years and analyzed health records for deaths from cancer, heart disease, and more.
The researchers found that walking, jogging and sports were the most beneficial for reducing the risk of early death.
They pointed out that walking for 2.5 to 5 hours per week reduced the risk of death from any cause by 13 percent, while practicing sports that uses a racquet for the same length of time reduced the risk of premature death by 16 percent, and reduced heart disease-related deaths by 27 percent.
As for running, it reduced the risk of premature death by 15 percent, and lowered the risk of cancer by 19 percent.
Study author Eleanor Watts, a postdoctoral fellow in epidemiology at the National Cancer Institute, wrote that the intensity of these activities did not make a significant difference in the results, stressing that even engaging in non-vigorous activities for a specified period of time per week reduces the risk of early death.
The new study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.