Getting about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week — the amount recommended by many medical associations — is linked to greater longevity, according to a new analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Previous research has shown that even shorter bouts of physical activity can have measurable health benefits. Taking regular breaks from sitting to go on short walks — which has been called having activity “snacks” — is linked to lower blood pressure and glucose levels. Doing short, intense bursts of exercise is linked to greater longevity, and the same benefit may be seen from daily activities like rushing up a flight of stairs or speed-walking when you’re late for an appointment. Greater overall physical activity as measured by taking more steps each day is linked to fewer blood glucose spikes in people with type 2 diabetes. Minimum recommended levels of physical activity may not be enough, though, to effectively prevent high blood pressure.
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For the latest analysis, researchers looked at large studies involving the general adult population that evaluated the health effects of different kinds of physical activity. They found 196 eligible studies, involving 94 different groups of participants with a total of over 30 million people. When it comes to outcomes that these studies examined, the most widely included one — seen in 50 different studies — was death from all causes during each study’s follow-up period. New cases of cardiovascular disease were an included outcomes in 37 studies, and new cases of cancer were an outcome in 31 studies.
More physical activity linked to lower health risks
Not surprisingly, the researchers found that greater physical activity was linked to a lower risk for each of the outcomes across all studies combined. The biggest difference in these risks was seen between a total lack of physical activity and getting 8.75 marginal metabolic hours weekly — the equivalent of getting the recommended level of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, as noted in an article on the study at Healio. During the combined follow-up period for each outcome, the risk of dying from all causes was 31% lower among participants who got the recommended amount of physical activity. The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was 29% lower, and the risk of dying from cancer was 15% lower. Based on these results, the researchers calculated that if all study participants had gotten the recommended amount of activity, 15.7% of premature deaths could have been avoided.
The researchers also noted that smaller health and longevity benefits were seen at about half the recommended level of physical activity. These results, they concluded, show that these is a dose-dependent relationship between physical activity and a range of outcomes related to chronic diseases and the risk of premature death.
Want to learn more about exercising with diabetes? Read “Exercise for Beginners,” “Add Movement to Your Life,” “Picking the Right Activity to Meet Your Fitness Goals” and “Seven Ways to Have Fun Exercising.”
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