Key points from article :
A new study challenges the assumption that all elite athletes enjoy longer lives. Researchers investigated the longevity of male athletes in three categories: Australian Football League (AFL) players, rugby union players (the Wallabies), and Olympic athletes in cardio-intensive sports like rowing and swimming. The results showed that while Olympians outlived the general population by an average of 3.4 years, AFL players lived only four months longer, and Wallabies lived eight months less than average.
The study's findings on AFL players differ from previous research, which had indicated better survival rates, possibly due to differences in methodology. While past studies have shown that elite athletes generally live longer, these benefits seem to vary by sport. Athletes in non-cardio or contact sports, such as AFL and rugby, may not enjoy the same survival advantage as those in endurance sports.
The research also suggests that the survival benefits of fitness may be offset by a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases, especially in contact sports where head injuries are more common. This highlights an "opportunity cost" for athletes in high-impact sports, as their choice of sport may limit the longevity benefits seen in other athletic pursuits.
