High School Sports Mean Fewer Doctor Visits After 70

Want to avoid a visit to the doctor after you turn 70? Then you'd better play high school sports. Scientists have found that 70-year-olds who were active on a team over 50 years ago were less likely to visit the doctor and were more likely to be active into their late 70s.

In order to learn a bit more about what factors influenced whether men remained active over the age of 70, the researchers examined what factors of behavior, background and personality had on healthfulness. More specifically, the study tracked 712 World War II veterans who were healthy as young men; they passed a rigorous physical exam when being screened for the military.

The scientists surveyed these volunteers at an average age of 78 years. In the end, they found that those who had played a high school sport in the 1930s or early 1940s reported visiting their doctor fewer times a year. Not only that, but the best predictor of whether a healthy young man would regularly exercise 50 years later was simply whether he had played a team or individual sport in high school. Many of those who played a high school sport were still active compared to those who didn't.

Currently, physical activity programs are hurt by budget cuts in the U.S. This can leave children with fewer or no opportunities to be active on a regular basis. This latest study, though, shows how important it is to provide these opportunities.

In fact, the findings reveal how important it is for teens and children to take part in physical activities. Decreased activity is a rising concern in the U.S. Inactive children are more likely to be obese and suffer from mental and physical health problems. Yet it also seems as if this activity can impact children years afterward. By remaining active while young, they can insure that their health will remain intact for years to come.

The findings are published in BMC Public Health.