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Show Fitness can reduce cholesterol levels soys B YU study ST. GEORGE By raising their fitness levels, senior athletes can lower both their cholesterol and blood pressure levels, according to a study conducted at the World Senior Games in St. George, by a Brigham Young University health professor. Dr. Steven Heiner measured the blood pressure and cholesterol levels of nearly 400 male and female athletes, ranging in age from 50 to 87, who participated in the 10-day 10-day senior sports festival last October. Oc-tober. "Cholesterol and blood pressure levels are important factors in cardiovascular car-diovascular mortality," explained Heiner. "The average blood cholesterol for the participants was 186, well below the national average for all ages," said Heiner. Comparatively, 75 percent of the adult population age 65 and over will have cholesterol levels of over 200, placing plac-ing them in the moderate risk category, while 25 percent of the general adult population has levels exceeding 240, placing them at high risk for heart disease. "Only 18 percent of the participants par-ticipants in the Games had cholesterol levels above 200," he said. "The lowest cholesterol level was 125, recorded for a 76-year-old man." The World Senior Games study also found that only 15 percent of the senior athletes had blood pressure readings in the moderately high range, above 14090, or reported taking medication to lower their blood pressure. "In comparison, 50 out of 100 people between the ages of 45 and 75 will have blood pressure readings about 14090 or will be taking an ti -hypertensive medication," medica-tion," Heiner noted. The average blood pressure reading among participants par-ticipants was 12777. The study also found no significant signifi-cant difference in terms of the education, edu-cation, religion, sex and marital status of the participants and their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The key factor in the participants' par-ticipants' higher levels of cardiovascular car-diovascular health was fitness, Heiner maintains. "A common thread among those tested was a lifestyle of fitness not only during the World Senior Games but routine fitness activities throughout their lives," he said. "Although there are other factors that help determine cholesterol and blood pressure levelssuch as heredity, her-edity, diet, smoking, weight control and stress managementthe results of this study are impressive and support the importance of physical activity to cardiovascular health for seniors," he said. "What is surfacing is that fitness may be the most important variable in maintaining cardiovascular health," he said. While the participants in his study were all conditioned athletes, Heiner believes that it's never too late to implement a fitness program. "Walking is the best exercise for people over 50," he suggests. Seniors could try to work up to walking two miles in 45 minutes to an hour every other day, he says. "They also might want to consider con-sider cycling or even swimming, which is kinder to the joints, since 90 percent of the body is suspended in water," he added. Heiner embarked on the study in an effort to supplement the meager amount of information available on the health and lifestyles of active senior citizens. "There's not a lot of data on athletes 50 and older," he said. |