Daily Record By Lucy Farrell 3/1/2023
Adults should be doing a certain amount of physical activity every week, but you don't have to be strict to see health improvements.
Walking for just 11 minutes a day may slash risks of an early death, according to new research.
The average adult should be getting 150 minutes of moderate, or 75 minutes of vigorous movement a week, according to the NHS. But it turns out doing even a small amount of exercise each day, even a brisk walk, is better than doing nothing at all.
That's what experts at the University of Cambridge say in a study published on Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Findings show that one in 10 premature deaths could be prevented if everyone did at least half the advised amount of physical activity.
Dr Soren Brage from the MRC Epidemiology Unit said: “If you are someone who finds the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news. Doing some physical activity is better than doing none.
"This is also a good starting position – if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually to the full recommended amount.”
What counts as moderate-intensity physical activity?
Moderate-intensity physical activity raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, but you would still be able to speak during the activity. Examples include:
• Brisk walking
• Dancing
• Riding a bike
• Playing tennis
• Hiking
Through extensive data analysis of published evidence, academics from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge determined how much physical activity could positively impact several chronic diseases.
Scientists found that outside of work-related physical activity, two out of three people reported activity levels below 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity and fewer than one in ten managed more than 300 minutes.
Those who completed over the 150 minutes of weekly moderate exercise saw only marginal benefits in terms of reduced risk of disease or early death were marginal, but even half this amount came with noticeable improvements.
Accumulating 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity brought with it a 23 per cent lower risk of early death. The same amount was also enough to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 per cent and cancer by seven per cent.
More:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/11-minute-exercise-scientists-say-29348574
