Study: Golf is good for physical and mental health

BOSTON - With mild temperatures ahead, some people may be hitting the golf course which could provide a boost to their physical and mental health, especially for seniors.

Researchers in Finland looked at 25 male and female golfers aged 65 and older and found that an 18-hole round of golf had a greater effect on lipid and blood glucose levels than 3.5 miles of regular walking or Nordic walking.

They say even though golf has a lower exercise intensity than walking, it takes longer, so you tend to burn more calories overall. And because golf is played outdoors and usually with other people, it can also provide mental health benefits.

Golf

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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