A groundbreaking study published in The Lancet has revealed that something as simple as a ten minute daily stroll can cut the risk of dying early by 15 percent, proving that tiny lifestyle tweaks in middle age can have an enormous impact on longevity. Researchers examined data from 135,000 people in the UK, Norway, Sweden, and the US who were mostly in their fifties and sixties, using pedometers to measure activity levels and comparing death rates from all causes over an eight year period. The study found that even just five extra minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, which includes brisk walking, mowing the lawn, housework, cycling, or swimming, could reduce the general population’s early death rate by 10 percent. Scientists from the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences who led the research also discovered that simply reducing sitting time by 30 minutes each day could cut deaths by about 5 percent.
Professor Melody Ding of the University of Sydney emphasized that inactive lifestyles are associated with a range of health problems, and this study shows the huge public health benefit from even small increases in physical activity. Dr Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London said the findings offer hope especially to the least active people, serving as an inspiring message that even small daily tweaks like a quick brisk walk, climbing a few extra flights of stairs, or playing energetically with grandkids can make a meaningful difference. The research focused on preventing premature deaths before age 75 from diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, which are all linked to sedentary lifestyles and represent some of the biggest causes of preventable early deaths. Experts are urging people to act on these findings by integrating small changes into their daily routines, stressing that some physical activity will always be better than doing nothing at all and that these modest adjustments are feasible for most people.
Source: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/walks-reduce-risk-dying-early-dklf6ghnx
