Scientists have said doing 11 minutes worth of one exercise in particular can cut the risk of an early death.
Walking for just 11 minutes a day can help you to avoid common diseases, according to new research.
The NHS said an average adult should be getting 150 minutes of moderate, or 75 minutes of vigorous movement a week. According to new research, doing just a small amount of exercise each day is better than doing nothing at all, reports the Daily Record.
In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, this is what experts at the University of Cambridge said. Findings show that one in 10 premature deaths could be prevented if everyone did at least half the advised amount of physical activity.
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Dr Soren Brage from the MRC 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
Through extensive data analysis of published evidence, academics from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge determined how much physical activity could positively impact several chronic diseases.
Scientists 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 and fewer than one in ten managed more than 300 minutes.
Those who completed over the 150 minutes of weekly moderate exercise saw only marginal benefits in terms of reduced risk of disease or early death were marginal, but even half this amount came with noticeable improvements.
Accumulating 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity brought with it a 23% lower risk of early death. The same amount was also enough to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17% and cancer by 7%.
The researchers calculated that if everyone in the studies had done at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, around one in six - 16% early deaths would be prevented. One in nine - 11% cases of cardiovascular disease and one in 20 - 5% of cancer cases would be prevented.
However, even if everyone managed at least 75 minutes of the same physical activity, this one prevent around one in 10 - 10% - of early deaths. 5%, or one in twenty cases of cardiovascular disease and nearly one in thirty, or 3%, of cases of cancer would be prevented.
To come to these conclusions, academics examined results reported in 196 peer-reviewed articles, covering more than 30 million participants from 94 large study cohorts. Through this, researchers produced the largest analysis to date of the association between physical activity levels and risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death.
If you're not used to regular exercise, the good news is that your amount of physical movement can be worked into your daily routine.
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