Published on British Journal of Sports Medicine at the end of October, the survey showed that just 22 minutes of moderate to intense physical exercise per day can reduce the risk of death from a sedentary lifestyle. This means that, even in a busy routine, taking a short amount of time to do an activity helps you become healthier.
The study was carried out in 11,989 participants from Norway, Sweden and the United States, all over 50 years old. The objective was to evaluate whether moderate to vigorous physical activity could influence sedentary lifestyle and mortality risk.
The authors concluded that a few minutes of exercise reduced these risks when compared to individuals who did not perform any activity and who spent more time sitting.
“A sedentary lifestyle is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental illness, among other conditions. So, 22 minutes of exercise is already a great start for the individual who is starting physical activities”, comments Matheus Vianna, personal trainer from the Nutrindo Ideales team.
But, after all, what activities would these be? For researchers, small habits, such as brisk walking and mowing the lawn, already represent examples of moderate activities, while playing a sport can be considered vigorous exercise.
“Walking, going up and down the stairs, doing squats or sitting and getting up from a chair, practicing jumping jacks and arm flexions, among others, are some examples of quick and effective exercises to get out of a sedentary lifestyle”, adds Matheus. “It is worth increasing the intensity progressively, taking into account the correct execution of the exercises and having professional guidance”, he highlights.
The study data was collected by an accelerometer placed on the participants’ hips, which identified when people moved or not. The researchers found that even for those who spent almost 12 hours sedentary, the mortality risk associated with a sedentary lifestyle was eliminated if 22 minutes of daily exercise were performed.
The results were positive even among those who did a little less physical activity. According to the study, who practiced at least 10 minutes of activity still had a 32% reduction in mortality risk due to conditions related to a sedentary lifestyle.
With the results, the researchers suggest that encouraging physical activity for the elderly, even light and moderate exercise, may be a way to treat cardiovascular or metabolic diseases. Furthermore, they say it is necessary to carry out more studies in the young population, to understand the benefits in children, adolescents and young adults as well.
Tags: minutes exercise reduce risk sedentary lifestyle elderly
