Want to live longer? Be an MLB player

1,802 Views | 4 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by YNWA_AG
jkag89
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Baseball players outlive most of us, but some positions are better than others
By Sara Chodosh - Popular Science
Quote:

Apart from the 81-plus days on the road every year, it's pretty good to be a baseball player. You make a lot of money, you get to do something you love for a living, and you live significantly longer. But to get the maximum benefits, you'll want to be a shortstop or a second baseman: As a new study points out, these players have the lowest overall mortality risk. The worst? Catchers, who die of genitourinary tract diseases at 2.5-times the rate of the guys chucking fastballs at their crotches.

<snip>

Of course, being a wealthy athlete doesn't necessarily mean good health. As we're all too aware now, pro football playersas well as soccer playershave significant health problems that stem directly from their involvement in the sport. Compared to MLB players, those in the NFL have a 26-percent higher mortality, including twice the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and three times the mortality risk from neurodegenerative diseases.

Strangely, though, the risks for MLB players aren't spread evenly across all positions. We already mentioned catchers' elevated risk for genitourinary tract diseases, whereas outfielders were the least likely to die of the same cause. First and third basemen were the most likely of all the positions to die of diabetes, whereas catchers took the lead on cardiovascular disease deaths.

With this kind of observational study, we can't really say exactly what lead to these differences. It's easy to imagine why shortstops and second basemen, who have to be light on their feet, might be the healthiest players. Equally, the connection between catchers, who wear heat-trapping protective equipment and have baseballs aimed at their privates for 162 days out of the year, might have higher genitourinary disease issues. But to know more, we'll have to study baseball players as a demographic in much more detail. We're guessing plenty of data-loving (and sports-loving) scientists will be happy to do so.
Mr.Ackar07
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jkag89 said:

Baseball players outlive most of us, but some positions are better than others
By Sara Chodosh - Popular Science
Quote:

Strangely, though, the risks for MLB players aren't spread evenly across all positions. We already mentioned catchers' elevated risk for genitourinary tract diseases, whereas outfielders were the least likely to die of the same cause. First and third basemen were the most likely of all the positions to die of diabetes, whereas catchers took the lead on cardiovascular disease deaths.

Maybe because they tend to be the chubbiest, least mobile, of the position players.
JABQ04
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AG
I'm 37. Is it too late to apply?
PatAg
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AG
You'd think they would more issues with skin cancer
amercer
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AG
PatAg said:

You'd think they would more issues with skin cancer


They aren't wearing beach volleyball uniforms.
YNWA_AG
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AG
my dermatologist worked for the astros during the biggio/bagwell days and she got on their cases a lot about sunscreen
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