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Study: Even Short, Slow Runs Could Help You Live Longer

AMES, IA (CBS) – Think you need to run for hours a week just to stay healthy?

Maybe not, researchers say.

A new Iowa State University study claims that running for just five or ten minutes a day and at slow speeds can significantly reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, looked at more than 55,000 adults for 15 years to measure the benefits of running.

According to the researchers, runners were up to 45 percent less likely to die from heart disease or stroke than those who didn't run at all, and the effects were found regardless of distance, duration or speed.

"Compared with nonrunners, runners had 30% and 45% lower adjusted risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, with a 3-year life expectancy benefit," the scientists say.

For more on the study, click here.

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