Why the study?
The consequences of extensive elite sports on life expectancy and mortality remain incompletely understood, and models systematically summarizing factors influencing the life span of elite athletes are lacking.
Does participation in the Olympic Games improve life expectancy in German elite athletes compared to the general population?
Does participation in the Olympic Games improve life expectancy in German elite athletes compared to the general population?
Contrary to previous findings in other countries, German Olympic athletes have a lower survival rate than the general population, with Olympic success and male gender acting as significant risk factors for mortality.
Questions longevity benefit of Olympic participation in Germans; challenges prior international findings and warrants replication.
The positive effects of physical activity and recreational sports on health have been well-examined and are well-proven. In contrast, the consequences of extensive elite sports on life expectancy and mortality rates have been described in significantly less unique and comprehensive terms. There is a lack of models that systematically summarize the factors influencing the life span of elite athletes. Therefore, this study identifies the difference between all 6,066 German participants in Olympic Games between 1956 and 2016 and the total population, as well as between participants from the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR), and between the genders. Currently, the survival rate of German Olympians is lower compared to the general population. On the contrary, it was found that Olympic success represents a linear risk for survival probability. While different types of sports do not exhibit any differences, gender and origin (FRG vs. GDR) do represent a significant risk factor. These results are combined with the current state of research to create an impact model of factors influencing the life span of elite athletes.
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Thieme et al. (2020) studied this question.
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