Fitness trainer Or German presents a short workout for a flat stomach (Photo: Or German)
Walking briskly for just 11 minutes a day cuts the risk of premature death by almost a quarter, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The team from the University of Cambridge found that such walking protects against cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
The study, which included more than 30 million people worldwide, is the largest of its kind.
The results show that just 75 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity lowers mortality rates by 23 percent.
"If you, or anyone else, find the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news. It's better to get some exercise than none at all. It's also a good place to start - if you find 75 minutes a week is doable, so you can try to gradually increase it to the full recommended amount," says Dr Soren Braj from the MRC's Epidemiology Unit in a press release.
Little and fast.
A walking woman (Photo: ShutterStock)
The researchers add that lack of time for physical activity and fatigue are the main reasons that many people let the sedentary lifestyle prevail.
The University of Cambridge team collected data from 196 peer-reviewed articles involving 94 large cohorts.
Additional benefits beyond the 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity recommended by health experts were marginal.
However, even half that amount came with significant benefits, reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease by 7 and 17 percent, respectively.
Rates of certain cancers dropped by 14 to 26 percent—including those in the head and neck, blood, bone marrow, and gastrointestinal tract.
Tumors developing in the lungs, liver, uterus, colon and breasts decreased by three to 11 percent.
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1 in 10 premature deaths can be prevented by brisk walking
Two out of three participants reported moderate-intensity activity levels below 150 minutes per week.
Less than one in 10 managed to do more than 300 minutes of physical activity a week.
"We know that exercise, such as walking or cycling, is good for your health, especially if you feel it gets your heart rate up. But what we've found is that there are significant benefits to heart health and reducing your risk of cancer even if you can only do vigorous activity for 10 minutes every day," adds Professor James Woodcock of the MRC's Epidemiology Unit.
The researchers calculated that if everyone in the studies participated in the equivalent activity of at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, about one in six (16%) premature deaths would be prevented.
Also one in nine (11%) cases of cardiovascular disease and one in 20 (5%) cases of cancer will be prevented.
However, even if everyone got at least 75 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, about one in 10 premature deaths would be prevented, the researchers estimate.
One in 20 cases of cardiovascular disease and almost one in 30 (3%) cases of cancer will be prevented.
"Moderate activity doesn't have to include what we normally think of as physical activity, like sports or jogging. Sometimes, simple action is required. For example, try walking or cycling to your place of work or school instead of using a car, or engage in active play with your children or grandchildren. Doing activities that you enjoy and that are easy to include in your weekly routine is a great way to become more active," concludes Dr Leandro Garcia from Queen's University Belfast.
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