22 minutes of daily exercise can help you overcome health problems due to a sedentary lifestyle

Modern lifestyles are increasingly turning us into sedentary creatures. Even people in developed countries spend an average of nine to ten hours every day sitting, whether they are working at a computer, stuck in traffic or relaxing in front of the TV.

This is worrisome because prolonged sitting is linked to many health problems, including obesity, heart disease and certain cancers that can lead to excessively early death, Sciense Alert writes.

Read also: Why standing in a plank for more than 10 seconds is pointless

But a new study shows that even a little physical activity, such as 22 minutes a day, can significantly reduce the risk of premature death as a result of a sedentary lifestyle for people over the age of 50.

The research paper combined data from three separate studies conducted in Norway, Sweden and the United States that included more than 12,000 people aged 50 and older. Participants in these studies wore portable devices that measured their activity and movements during daily chores.

Study participants were followed for at least two years, with an average of about 5.2 years. This period covered the years from 2003 to 2020.

During the analysis, the researchers took into account different factors such as education, alcohol consumption, smoking and history of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. All these data were combined with state death registries.

The results of the study showed that those who spent more than 12 hours a day sitting had the highest risk of death, 38% higher compared to people who sat for less than 8 hours. However, this only applied to those who spent less than 22 minutes a day in physical activity.

That is, for people who exercised more than 22 minutes a day, the risk of death became the same as for those who sat for less than 8 hours. More importantly, more physical activity helped lower the risk of death. For example, an extra 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day could reduce the risk of death by 15% for those who spent less than 10.5 hours sitting.

For those spending most of the day sedentary (10.5 hours or more), an extra 10 minutes of activity could reduce the risk of death by as much as 35%.

It should be noted that this study had limitations. It did not look at how changes in activity or sedentary behavior over a long period of time might affect the risk of death. Also, the study was limited to participants aged 50 and older, which may make the results less applicable to younger age groups.

In addition, cultural and lifestyle differences between different countries may also affect the way the study collected and analyzed data.

Concluding this study, although observational, emphasizes the importance of physical activity in our lives. Even small amounts of activity can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of premature death and contribute to overall better health and longevity. Any minute of physical activity can make a difference and be beneficial.

Please note: This content is for informational purposes only and does not contain any medical advice. For medication, diagnoses and other medical advice, please consult your doctor.

Recall, earlier we wrote about 5 things you can not do in the morning, so as not to harm your health.

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