In South Florida where I live, summer is a great time for exercising outdoors, especially during the early hours of the morning. The air is crisp and just warm enough to make you break out a sweat. It’s a great time to walk your dog, ride your bike or just take a brisk walk or jog.
For those of you who live in places with air pollution, you may be tempted to forego your exercise because of the air quality, but according to this study, “the benefits of regular outdoor exercise in areas with air pollution outweigh the risks.” In fact the study goes so far as to say that habitual exercise can save your life.
Researcher Dr. Xiang Qian Lao, from the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at Chinese University of Hong Kong claims, “Habitual exercise reduces the risk of death regardless of exposure to air pollution, and air pollution generally increases the risk of death regardless of habitual exercise.”
While the study concluded that less exposure to air pollution was better, it also reiterated that compared to inactivity, a higher amount of regular exercise was beneficial, even in polluted areas. This study was done on 384,000 adults in Taiwan. Smaller studies conducted in the United States, Denmark and Hong Kong also found that regular exercise, even in polluted areas, is beneficial.
If you have been putting off exercising outdoors because you live in an area with air pollution, the results of these studies should set your mind at ease. Habitual exercise reduces the risk of death regardless of exposure to air pollution. So, put on your walking shoes, your sunglasses, and sunscreen and head for the great outdoors.
The shoes shown below are made for walking, standing, nursing, working out etc. They are lightweight and comfortable. The links are affiliate links, meaning If you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a commission. It does not cost you anything more.
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