Mixed
Habitual endurance running significantly improves key biomedical health indices in physically inactive adults, specifically reducing body mass, body fat, resting heart rate, and triglycerides, while increasing VO2max and HDL cholesterol.
If you are currently inactive but healthy, starting a running routine of about 3-4 sessions per week, totaling roughly 2.3 hours, at a moderate intensity (60-90% of your max heart rate) will significantly improve your health. Over a year, you can expect to lose about 3.3 kg of body mass, reduce body fat, lower your resting heart rate, and improve your cardiovascular fitness (VO2max) and healthy cholesterol levels (HDL). You do not need to combine this with strict dieting to see these independent benefits.
Endurance running was effective in providing substantial beneficial effects on body mass, body fat, resting heart rate, VO2max, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol in physically inactive adults.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 randomized controlled trials involving 2024 participants.
Source
Meta-Analyses of the Effects of Habitual Running on Indices of Health in Physically Inactive Adults
Luiz Hespanhol et al. · Sports Medicine · 2015
DOI 10.1007/s40279-015-0359-y
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