Heart Health
Golf: A good walk made better?
If you walk the course, playing 18 holes of golf may benefit your heart even more than an hour of either brisk or Nordic walking.
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Golf has been famously described as "a good walk spoiled." But when it comes to cardiovascular health, this leisurely sport may have some advantages over other walking activities, new research suggests.
Done in Finland, the study compared golf to brisk walking and Nordic walking (see "Game on: Golfing vs. walking"). "This well-designed study found that all three activities were beneficial. The surprise was that golf came out on top," says Dr. David O. Williams, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital who is also an avid golfer.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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