Sedentary lifestyle, 22 minutes of movement a day is enough to reduce the risk of death – WWN

In Western countries adults spend on average 9-10 hours a day without moving, especially during working hours. Since a greater sedentary lifestyle is associated with a higher risk of non-communicable diseases and mortality, preventive measures are important. But how much to move? Research published in British Journal of Sports Medicine
suggests that 20-25 minutes of physical activity a day, therefore on average 22 minutesmay be sufficient to offset the increased risk of death due to a sedentary lifestyle.

I study

The researchers analysed, from 2003 to 2019, the data of 11,989 people (four prospective cohort studies), all equipped with a sensor for monitoring activity, at least 50 years old. Information on potentially influential factors was also collected from the sample: gender, education level, weight, height, smoking history, alcohol intake, cardiovascular disease, current or previous cancer or diabetes. During an average period of 5 years, 805 people died of which 357 spent less than 10.5 hours sitting per day and 448 spent 10.5 or more. Data analysis showed that being sedentary for more than 12 hours a day was associated with a 38% greater risk of death compared to a daily count of 8 hoursbut only among those who performed less than 22 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Higher levels of movement have been associated with a lower mortality risk, regardless of the amount of sedentary time. For example, 10 minutes more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day was linked to a 15% and 35% lower risk of mortality in the least and very sedentary subjects, respectively.

To reach the goal

Knowing that carrying out physical activity for at least 22 minutes a day eliminates the risk of sedentary lifestyle and practicing even more allows for further gains in survival can be a good thing. anti-laziness stimulus. Insert at least 30 minutes of walking at a fast pace in one’s daily routine, a fundamental investment for health and within everyone’s reach, he says Roberto Pedretti, director of the Cardiovascular Department at the IRCSS MultiMedica in Sesto San Giovanni (Milan) and member of the Board of Directors of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology. sufficient avoid using the car for short trips, get off public transport one or two stops before your destination reaching it at a fast pace, do not use the lift, get up every hour to walk at least a minute. They are all little tricks to move without almost realizing it; then being able to carve out time to carry out “real” physical activity undoubtedly leads to a further advantage.

The guidelines

The 22 minutes a day correspond to minimum dose of moderate physical activity per week recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO): this recommends, in fact, 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of intense activity or equivalent combinations of the two weekly methods. There is no contradiction – the expert points out -. The “minimum effective dose” to obtain a common benefit for both researchers and the WHO. However, if you want a significant and proportional extra benefit you must practice, as emerges from the study, movement greater than the “minimum dose”.

The type of activity

However, we distinguish between the types of activity – concludes the cardiologist -. By moderate we mean walking at a moderate/fast pace, cycling slowly, painting, decorating, vacuuming, mow the lawn, play golf by towing the clubs in the appropriate trolley, play doubles tennis, dance, practice water aerobics. By intense, however, we mean jogging or running, cycling faster than 15 km/h, heavy gardening, swimming, playing singles tennis.

Why is it important to move

The scientific evidence supporting the benefits of movement is multiple and solid. Physical activity, especially aerobic activity, reduces the risk of chronic-degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular, neoplastic and chronic respiratory diseases, in all ages and in both sexes. Movement produces positive effects also on our mood, increasing self-esteem, sense of efficiency, mood and reducing anxiety. Finally, it is well demonstrated that the regular practice of physical activity in patients suffering from depression can reduce its severity and sometimes the dosage of drug treatment.