Walking: no time for the gym? 10 minutes of gardening can also help you live longer

LONDON: Even moderate physical activity, such as walking or gardening, can reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer or any other cause, according to a study.

Higher levels of activity or more vigorous activities, such as running, cycling and competitive sports, are badociated with additional health benefits, which are not offset by the risks badociated with participation in these activities, explained the researchers.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, used data collected during surveys from 1997 to 2008 to estimate activity levels of 88,140 people aged 40 to 85, and established a link between this data and the deaths recorded up to December 31, 2011.

They calculated participants' total physical activity in their hobbies using the definitions in the 2008 US guidelines, which equates to about a minute of vigorous activity, such as running, fast cycling, or sports. of competition, two minutes of activity of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking, gardening or dancing.

According to the researchers, only activities of a minimum duration of 10 continuous minutes were taken into account.

Compared to inactive individuals, individuals who engaged in moderate physical activity of 10 to 59 minutes per week during their free time had an 18% lower risk of death, regardless of the cause, during the the study, and the health benefits continued to increase. as activity levels have increased.

The guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, in increments of at least 10 minutes, and people who participated in 150-299 minutes a week reduced the overall risk of death by 31 minutes. %.

Those who accumulated ten times that amount – 1,500 minutes or more per week – almost reduced their risk (half the number) (46% less).

Reducing the risk of death from cancer also corresponds to an increase in the level of activity.

In terms of risk of death from cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attacks, people who were active 10 to 59 minutes per week during their free time saw their risk decrease by 12% and those who worked between 120 and 299 minutes per week of 37% compared to the inactive.

However, much higher levels of physical activity are badociated with no greater benefit.

People who were active for 1,500 minutes or more per week had a risk of death from cardiovascular disease reduced by 33% – their risk of death was therefore slightly higher than those who reached the recommended levels of activity but who undertook more moderate quantities.

It is an observational study and, as such, does not establish the cause, and also relies on the activity levels reported by the participants, said the researchers.

However, the authors point out that the study also has many strengths, including a large representative sample of the US population, and that their findings support US recommendations regarding activity levels.

The study also showed that people who participated in intense physical activity had a much lower risk of death than those who only engaged in light or moderate physical activity.