Do you sit all day long and prefer to avoid sports? Then you should read on now. Researchers found that even a little exercise can be enough to stay healthy.
Exercise trains the heart and circulation and stimulates the metabolism. As a result, digestion benefits, high blood pressure and other heart diseases are prevented, and obesity is also less common in active people. This, in turn, reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic diseases. The good news is that it's not just strenuous sports that make us fit and keep us healthy. Even moderate and short breaks in exercise have enormous effects, as US scientists inform.
A team of researchers led by Matthew Nayor from the Sections of Cardiology and Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine has analyzed the health data of around 2,000 study participants. "Moderate-intensity physical activity improves fitness most efficiently," a study result is quoted in the Boston University press release. Even a one-minute walk has a positive effect on our health.
Is 30 minutes enough to make up for a long time sitting?
Movement trains the heart, laughter regenerates the soul: walks for two are true medicine. © Daniel Gonzalez/Imago
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As part of the analysis, the researchers found that "a higher amount of time spent on physical activity (moderate-heavy physical activity) and low- to medium-level activity (steps), as well as less time spent on sedentary work, lead to higher physical fitness". Translated, this means something like: Those who do sports more often, incorporate light exercise into their everyday lives more often and sit less promote their own fitness. This is not a new finding. But it was interesting how little exercise already improves fitness enormously.
As the fitness portal fitforfun quotes the researchers, just one minute of moderate exercise is enough to compensate for about 14 minutes of sitting. With just under eight hours of sitting a day, it would be about 35 minutes of exercise a day to compensate for the sitting workload, fitforfun continues. Just a walk in the fresh air would be enough.
A recent international study refutes this thesis. Researchers led by Sebastien Chastin from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland had found that sitting for long periods of time cannot be compensated for by half an hour of exercise. As part of the study, the health data of around 130,000 people were evaluated. The result: In most cases, 30 minutes of exercise a day was not sufficient for frequent sitters to significantly reduce the risk of death – compared to people who exercised more frequently. According to the researchers, those who sit for more than seven hours a day should exercise far more often than just 30 minutes to reduce the risk of premature death.
Physical exertion more often and incorporate active breaks
What speaks for stronger physical activity: According to the researchers from the USA, it was three times more effective than pure walking and more than 14 times more effective than reducing the time spent sitting. In addition, they found that time spent exercising and increasing steps per day can partially offset the negative effects of sedentary work in terms of physical fitness, the press release says.
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No time for lengthy sports sessions during the day? Then you should get up from your office chair or sofa at least once an hour and move around for about a minute. 60 seconds of lunges, 60 seconds of hula hoop break or just jogging on the spot: in a few days you will find that this also has a positive effect on your figure.
This article contains only general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, individual questions about clinical pictures may not be answered by our editors.