A large-scale British study published on Tuesday 28 February offers a glimmer of hope for sedentary people. According to the authors, physical activity, even short-term, can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death.
Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases Sitting for more than 8 hours a day directly affects our health. In order to break this vicious circle, health professionals, without any big surprise, invite you to move. Yes, but how? Those who run cold and exert themselves intensely in the gym can rest, a little physical activity, even for a short time, is better than nothing at all. This is according to a large-scale British meta-analysis published on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 in the journal Science. The British Journal of Sports Medicine . According to the authors of this work, researchers from the University of Cambridge and Queen’s University Belfast, one in 10 premature deaths could be avoided if they walked for at least 11 minutes a day.
A bit of dancing, cycling or brisk walking
To reach these conclusions, the scientific team examined 196 studies devoted to the links between physical activity and life expectancy. This is the largest study on this topic to date. The sample combines the medical data of about 30 million people.
Specifically, researchers have tried to establish a relationship between the amount of physical activity, its duration, and the quality of life of the individuals being studied. Their results first confirmed what we already knew, that people who did 150 minutes of moderate activity per week were 31% less likely to die prematurely than inactive people.
Scientists have also looked at the effects of minimal physical activity, and the findings have also been positive. Individuals who did no more than 75 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or about 11 minutes per day, reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 17% and their risk of cancer by 7%, across all types combined. According to the research team, this moderate effort can be incorporated into practices such as dancing, cycling, tennis, hiking or even brisk walking, reports: The Guardian: .
A small step towards good health
Despite the size of the studied sample and scientific rigor, this meta-analysis nevertheless has significant limitations. Although it establishes a link between physical activity and a reduction in early death, it still does not allow us to determine causality. Other factors, such as genetics and socioeconomic status, likely play an important role in these results, which qualify washington post: . In addition, some of the studies in this meta-analysis relied on self-reported responses and are therefore less reliable.
Small, gradual changes are a great start and will bring many health benefits.
Leandro Garcia, public health researcher in charge of the study
However, these results remain encouraging and encourage us to make athletic endeavors less intimidating, he assures. washington post: Leandro Garcia, public health researcher in charge of the study. “Small, incremental changes are a great start and will have many health benefits. Park a short distance from your office. Go up the stairs. Dance with your kids in the living room. Ideally, aim for about 11 minutes of moderate activity a day to start with, and if you find that amount ‘manageable’, try to gradually increase it to a total recommended amount of 150 minutes a week,” she advises. Before graduation. “under all circumstances, a little physical activity is better for health than none at all.”
In the video: Jessica Alba’s very sharp sports routine
Source: Le Figaro
