If you want to stay healthy but just thinking of vigorous exercise is enough to make you tired, scientists have good news for you.
Just 11 minutes of walking a day is enough to cut your risk of an early death, research has found. It can slash your chances of developing both cancer and heart disease, the Daily Record reports.
NHS advice says the average adult should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous movement, a week. But researchers claim that doing even a small amount of exercise each day, even a brisk walk, can bring real health benefits.
That's what experts at the University of Cambridge say in a study published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Its 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, of the university's Medical Research Council 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.”
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
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Through extensive data analysis of published evidence, academics from the MRC Epidemiology Unit determined how much physical activity could have a positive affect in fighting several chronic diseases and conditions. They 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. Fewer than one in 10 managed more than 300 minutes.
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.
The researchers calculated that if everyone in the studies had done at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, around one in six early deaths would be prevented. One in nine cases of cardiovascular disease and one in 20 of cancer cases would be prevented.
However, if everyone managed at least 75 minutes of the same physical activity, this would prevent around one in 10 early deaths. One in 20 cases of cardiovascular disease and nearly one in 30 cases of cancer would be prevented.
To arrive at their conclusions, academics examined results reported in 196 peer-reviewed articles, covering more than 30 million participants from 94 large study cohorts. It is the largest analysis to date of the association between physical activity levels and risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death.
And if you're not used to regular exercise, the good news is that your quota of physical movement can be worked into your daily routine. Dr Leandro Garcia, of Queen’s University Belfast, said: "Moderate activity doesn’t have to involve what we normally think of exercise, such as sports or running. Sometimes, replacing some habits is all that is needed.
"For example, try to walk or cycle to your work or study place instead of using a car, or engage in active play with your kids or grand kids. Doing activities that you enjoy and that are easy to include in your weekly routine is an excellent way to become more active.”
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