Study: High School Jocks Will Grow Up to Be Healthier Than You, Nerd
A recent study published in the BMC Public Health journal indicated that playing varsity sports in high school strongly correlates with being physically fit 50 years later in life.
The experiment, which was conducted by researchers from Cornell University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, surveyed 712 World War II veterans who had passed a rigorous physical examination 50 years earlier. The goal was to determine how their physical activity as they aged correlated to their habits when they were younger.
According to the study, "the single strongest predictor of later-life physical activity was whether he played a varsity sport in high school."
The survey concluded that, "encouraging systematic or frequent physical activity at a young age -- whether through school sports or club opportunities -- might be the best investment in long-term activeness." Those who participated in high school sports also required fewer doctor's visits later in life.
And although the study did not confirm this, playing varsity sports is also correlated with staring into the distance and reflecting on "the good old days."
