Tag: exercise

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Breaking up Sedentary Time with Light Exercise Lowers BP

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More than six sedentary hours per day from childhood through young adulthood may cause an excess increase of 4mmHg in systolic blood pressure, a new study shows. Continuously engaging in light physical activity (LPA) significantly mitigated the rise in blood pressure – while longer bouts of more vigorous exercise . The results were published in the prestigious Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.

In the present study, a collaboration between the Universities of Bristol and Exeter, and the University of Eastern Finland, 2513 children drawn from the Children of the 90s cohort were followed up from age 11 until 24 years. At baseline, the children spent six hours per day sedentary, six hours per day engaging in LPA, and approximately 55 minutes per day in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). At follow-up in young adulthood, nine hours per day were spent sedentary, three hours per day in LPA, and approximately 50 minutes per day in MVPA. 

The average blood pressure in childhood was 106/56mmHg which increased to 117/67mmHg in young adulthood, partly due to normal physiological development. Persistent increase in sedentary time from age 11 through 24 years was associated with an average of 4mmHg excess increase in systolic blood pressure. Participating in LPA from childhood lowered the final level by 3mmHg, but engaging in MVPA had no blood pressure-lowering effect. 

“Furthermore, when 10 minutes out of every hour spent sedentary was  replaced with an equal amount of LPA from childhood through young adulthood in a simulation model, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2mmHg. This is significant, as it has been reported in adults that a systolic blood pressure reduction of 5mmHg decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke by ten percent,” says Andrew Agbaje, an award-winning physician and associate professor (docent) of Clinical Epidemiology and Child Health at the University of Eastern Finland.

The current study is the largest and the longest follow-up of accelerometer-measured movement behaviour and blood pressure progression in youth in the world. Measurements of blood pressure, sedentary time, LPA and, MVPA were taken at ages 11, 15, and 24 years. The children’s fasting blood samples were also repeatedly measured for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Heart rate, socio-economic status, family history of cardiovascular disease, smoking status as well as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measured fat mass and lean mass were accounted for in the analyses. 

“We have earlier shown that elevated blood pressure and hypertension in adolescence increase the risk of premature cardiac damage in young adulthood. The identification of childhood sedentariness as a potential cause of elevated blood pressure and hypertension with LPA as an effective antidote is of clinical and public health significance. Several MVPA-based randomised controlled trials in the young population have been unsuccessful in lowering blood pressure. We noted an MVPA-induced increase in muscle mass enhanced a physiologic increase in blood pressure explaining why earlier MVPA-based randomised clinical trials were unsuccessful,” says Agbaje.

Source: University of Eastern Finland

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease ExerciseTags :

An Extra Five Minutes of Exercise a Day could Reduce Blood Pressure

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New research suggests that adding a small amount of daily physical activity, such as uphill walking or stair-climbing, may help to lower blood pressure. The findings were published in Circulation. 

Just five minutes of activity a day was estimated to potentially reduce blood pressure, while replacing sedentary behaviours with 20–27 minutes of exercise per day, including uphill walking, stair-climbing, running and cycling, was also estimated to lead to a clinically meaningful reduction in blood pressure. The study was done by experts from the ProPASS (Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep) Consortium, an international academic collaboration led by the University of Sydney and University College London (UCL)

Joint senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the ProPASS Consortium said: “High blood pressure is one of the biggest health issues globally, but unlike some major causes of cardiovascular mortality there may be relatively accessible ways to tackle the problem in addition to medication.”

“The finding that doing as little as five extra minutes of exercise per day could be associated with measurably lower blood pressure readings emphasises how powerful short bouts of higher intensity movement could be for blood pressure management.”

The research team analysed health data from 14 761 volunteers in five countries to see how replacing one type of movement behaviour with another across the day is associated with blood pressure.

Each participant used a wearable accelerometer device on their thigh to measure their activity and blood pressure throughout the day and night. 

Daily activity was split into six categories: sleep, sedentary behaviour (such as sitting), slow walking, fast walking, standing, and more vigorous exercise such as running, cycling or stair climbing.

The team modelled statistically what would happen if an individual changed various amounts of one behaviour for another in order to estimate the effect on blood pressure for each scenario and found that replacing sedentary behaviour with 20-27 minutes of exercise per day could potentially reduce cardiovascular disease by up to 28 percent at a population level.

First author Dr Jo Blodgett from UCL said: “Our findings suggest that, for most people, exercise is key to reducing blood pressure, rather than less strenuous forms of movement such as walking.

“The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure. What’s unique about our exercise variable is that it includes all exercise-like activities, from running for a bus or a short cycling errand, many of which can be integrated into daily routines.

“For those who don’t do a lot of exercise, walking did still have some positive benefits for blood pressure. But if you want to change your blood pressure, putting more demand on the cardiovascular system through exercise will have the greatest effect.”

Professor Mark Hamer, joint senior author of the study and ProPASS Deputy Director from UCL, said: “Our findings show how powerful research platforms like the ProPASS consortium are for identifying relatively subtle patterns of exercise, sleep, and sedentary behaviour, that have  significant clinical and public health importance.”

Source: University of Sydney

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease NeurologyTags :

Short, Light Exercises for Children Improve Cerebral Blood Flow

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Enhancing prefrontal cortex (PFC) cognitive functions requires identifying suitable exercises that increase cerebral blood flow. A recent study using functional near-infrared spectroscopy found that short-duration, low-intensity physical exercises, except static stretching with monotonous movements, increased oxygenated haemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels, thereby activating the PFC and enhancing blood flow in children. This study marks a significant step toward improving both the physical and mental health of children.

Cognitive functions, also known as intellectual functions, encompass thinking, understanding, memory, language, computation, and judgment, and are performed in the cerebrum. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), located in the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex, handles these functions. Studies have shown that exercise improves cognitive function through mechanisms such as enhanced cerebral blood flow, structural changes in the brain, and promotion of neurogenesis. However, 81% of children globally do not engage in enough physical activity, leading to high levels of sedentary behavior and insufficient exercise. This lack of physical activity raises concerns about its negative impact on children’s healthy brain development and cognitive function.

A recent study from Waseda University published in Scientific Reports, by doctoral student Takashi Naito from the Graduate School of Sport Sciences, along with Professors Kaori Ishii and Koichiro Oka from the Faculty of Sport Sciences, offers insights into potential solutions. The study investigated the effects of short-duration and light-intensity exercise on increasing cerebral blood flow in children. “Our goal is to develop a light-intensity exercise program that is accessible to everyone, aiming to enhance brain function and reduce children’s sedentary behaviour. We hope to promote and implement this program in schools through collaborative efforts,” says Naito.

To enhance cognitive performance, it is essential to develop exercise programs that increase cerebral blood flow. While previous studies have established the benefits of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on cognitive functions, changes in cerebral blood flow during light-intensity exercise, particularly in children, is yet to be investigated. To address this gap, the team conducted an experimental study to examine the effects of short-term, light-intensity exercises on prefrontal cortex (PFC) hemodynamics. They focused on exercises that can be easily performed on the spot without special equipment, such as stretching. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an imaging technique that measures changes in cerebral blood flow through oxy-Hb concentrations, was used for this purpose.

The study enrolled 41 healthy children ranging from fifth-grade elementary to third-year junior high school students. The children were taught seven different types of low-intensity exercises along with associated safety measures. These exercises included Upward Stretch, Shoulder Stretch, Elbow Circles, Trunk Twist, Washing Hands, Thumb and Pinky, and Single-leg Balance. The exercises were performed while seated except Single-leg Balance, with movement patterns lasting for 10 and 20 seconds. Researchers recorded and compared oxy-Hb levels at rest and during exercise.

The study’s results were highly promising, showing a significant increase in oxy-Hb levels in multiple regions of the PFC during all forms of exercise compared to the resting state. However, no significant change in oxy-Hb levels was observed during static stretching with movement in one direction. “By combining the types of exercise that easily increase blood flow in the PFC identified in this study, it is possible to develop an exercise program that everyone can easily engage in to improve children’s executive functions. It may also be used in the future to prevent cognitive decline in adults and the elderly,” explains Naito optimistically.

In conclusion, this groundbreaking study represents a significant step forward in combating sedentary lifestyles and activating brain functions in children, thereby supporting their physical and mental growth. Although this study demonstrated that even short-duration, low-intensity exercise can increase cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, future research is needed to confirm whether such exercises actually lead to improved cognitive function.

Source: Waseda University

Categories : Exercise Mental HealthTags :

Researchers Find New Clues as to Why Exercise Relieves Depression

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While physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, is known to reduce depressive symptoms, the processes behind this have been poorly understood – until now. In a new review article published in Translational Psychiatry, researchers propose a novel hypothesis to understand the antidepressant effects of exercise. They believe that the process may hinge on motivation, which is very important for alleviating a number of symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia (a lack of interest or joy in life’s experiences), low energy and ‘brain fog’.

The team summarised research papers that explored the mechanisms of depression in both humans and animals and concluded that depression, especially anhedonia, is associated with elevated inflammation (caused by the body’s immune response). Importantly, inflammation is also linked to disrupted dopamine transmission. These biological changes may represent key processes leading to changes in motivation, and in particular a lower willingness to exert physical or mental effort.

Meanwhile, exercise reduces inflammation, boosts dopamine function, and enhances motivation. The researchers believe that this could be an important reason as to why exercise exerts an antidepressant effect.

Lead author, Dr Emily Hird (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) said: “The antidepressant effect of aerobic exercise has been convincingly demonstrated through randomised controlled trials, but its mechanism is not well understood. This is, in part, because it likely involves a variety of biological and psychological processes.

“For example, alongside its positive effect on inflammation, dopamine and reward processing, exercise also reduces oxidative stress and improves self-esteem and self-efficacy.

“However, we are proposing that exercise – particularly aerobic activities that make you sweaty and out of breath – decreases inflammation and boosts dopamine transmission, which in turn increases the desire to exert effort, and therefore boosts motivation generally.”

The team hope that this understanding of how exercise reduces symptoms of depression will help to inform the development of new treatment strategies – such as personalised exercise programmes.

Dr Hird said: “Understanding the mechanisms that underly the antidepressant effects of physical activity in depression could also inform our understanding of the mechanisms causing depression and the development of novel intervention strategies, in particular personalised intervention, and social prescribing.”

To further test their hypothesis, the researchers advise that large randomised controlled trials need to be conducted that assess the antidepressant effects of exercise, whilst also measuring the effect on variables including inflammation, dopamine transmission and motivation.

It would also be important to investigate any potential barriers to exercise.

Dr Hird said: “Addressing barriers to exercise – particularly in people with depression – is crucial, as regular physical activity may be able to alleviate symptoms, enhance mood and empower individuals on their path to recovery. As part of this, finding strategies to encourage exercise is key.”

The team are now running a trial based on the hypothesis proposed in the review, which will involve 250 participants aged 18 to 60 and is funded by a Wellcome Mental Health Award.

Source: University College London

Categories : Exercise Metabolic DisordersTags :

Metformin’s Weight Loss Tied to “Anti-hunger” Molecule

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A new study finds that the modest weight loss from taking metformin is attributable to an appetite-suppressing molecule that is abundant after exercise

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An “anti-hunger” molecule produced after vigorous exercise is responsible for the moderate weight loss caused by the diabetes medication metformin, according to a new study in mice and humans. The anti-hunger molecule, lac-phe, was discovered by Stanford Medicine researchers in 2022.

The finding, made jointly by researchers at Stanford Medicine and at Harvard Medical School and published in Nature Metabolism, further cements the critical role the molecule, called lac-phe, plays in metabolism, exercise and appetite. It may pave the way to a new class of weight loss drugs.

“Until now, the way metformin, which is prescribed to control blood sugar levels, also brings about weight loss has been unclear,” said Jonathan Long, PhD, an assistant professor of pathology. “Now we know that it is acting through the same pathway as vigorous exercise to reduce hunger. Understanding how these pathways are controlled may lead to viable strategies to lower body mass and improve health in millions of people.”

Many people with diabetes who are prescribed metformin lose around 2% to 3% of their body weight within the first year of starting the drug. Although this amount of weight loss is modest when compared with the 15% or more often seen by people taking semaglutide, the discoveries that led to those drugs also grew from observations of relatively minor, but reproducible, weight loss in people taking first-generation versions of the medications.

Post-workout appetite loss

When Long and colleagues at Baylor University discovered lac-phe in 2022, they were on the hunt for small molecules responsible for curtailing hunger after vigorous exercise. What they found was a mishmash of lactate and an amino acid called phenylalanine. They dubbed the hybrid molecule lac-phe and went on to show that it’s not only more abundant after exercise but it also causes people (as well as mice and even racehorses) to feel less hungry immediately after a hard workout.

“There is an intimate connection between lac-phe production and lactate generation,” Long said. “Once we understood this relationship, we started to think about other aspects of lactate metabolism.”

Metformin was an obvious candidate because as it stimulates the breakdown of glucose (thus reducing blood sugar levels) it can trigger the generation of lactate.

The researchers found that obese laboratory mice given metformin had increased levels of lac-phe in their blood. They ate less than their peers and lost about 2 grams of body weight during the nine-day experiment.

Long and his colleagues also analysed stored blood plasma samples from people with Type 2 diabetes before and 12 weeks after they had begun taking metformin to control their blood sugar. They saw significant increases in the levels of lac-phe in people after metformin compared with their levels before treatment. Finally, 79 participants in a large, multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis who were also taking metformin had significantly higher levels of lac-phe circulating in their blood than those who were not taking the drug.

“It was nice to confirm our hunch experimentally,” Long said. “The magnitude of effect of metformin on lac-phe production in mice was as great as or greater than what we previously observed with exercise. If you give a mouse metformin at levels comparable to what we prescribe for humans, their lac-phe levels go through the roof and stay high for many hours.”

Further research revealed that lac-phe is produced by intestinal epithelial cells in the animals; blocking the ability of mice to make lac-phe erased the appetite suppression and weight loss previously observed.

Finally, a statistical analysis of the people in the atherosclerosis study who lost weight during the several-year study and follow-up period found a meaningful association between metformin use, lac-phe production and weight loss.

“The fact that metformin and sprint exercise affect your body weight through the same pathway is both weird and interesting,” Long said. “And the involvement of the intestinal epithelial cells suggests a layer of gut-to-brain communication that deserves further exploration. Are there other signals involved?”

Long noted that, while semaglutide drugs are injected into the bloodstream, metformin is an oral drug that is already prescribed to millions of people. “These findings suggest there may be a way to optimize oral medications to affect these hunger and energy balance pathways to control body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. I think what we’re seeing now is just the beginning of new types of weight loss drugs.”

Source: Stanford Medicine

Categories : Exercise Immune SystemTags :

Firefighter Study Reveals how Extreme Exercise can Suppress the Immune System

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A study of firefighters on a punishing training course has revealed clues as to why extreme exercise temporarily weakens the immune system – a phenomenon seen in elite athletes. The findings, published in Military Medical Research, may lead to better ways to support the health of people who undergo extreme exertion, such as firefighters tackling wildfires.

Thirteen firefighters volunteered for the study, average age 25 and male. They went through a rigorous training exercise, carrying 9 to 20kg of gear over hilly terrain during a 45-minute training exercise in the California sun. Gloves, helmets, flashlights, goggles, and more weighted them down as they sprinted through the countryside wearing fire-resistant clothing to show they were ready to serve as wildland firefighters.

After the training, they immediately gave samples of their blood, saliva, and urine for analysis. Two were excluded, one being unable to finish the course and the other arriving to late to provide a sample. The 11 participants who completed the course lost an average of 2.2% of their initial weight.

Then, the scientists from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) analysed more than 4700 molecules, consisting of proteins, lipids, and metabolites, from each of the firefighters, looking to understand what happens when the body undergoes intense physical exercise. Measuring and interpreting the data from thousands of such measurements is a specialty of PNNL scientists who explore issues related to climate science and human health by analysing millions of sensitive measurements using mass spectrometry each year.

The researchers’ aim was to increase safety for first responders and others.

“Heat stress can be life threatening,” said Kristin Burnum-Johnson, a corresponding author of the study. “We wanted to take an in-depth look at what’s happening in the body and see if we’re able to detect danger from exhaustion in its earliest stages. Perhaps we can reduce the risk of strenuous exercise for first responders, athletes, and members of the military.”

As expected, the team detected hundreds of molecular changes in the firefighters. The differences before and after exercise underscored the body’s efforts at tissue damage and repair, maintenance of fluid balance, efforts to keep up with increased energy and oxygen demand, and the body’s attempts to repair and regenerate its proteins and other important substances.

But in the saliva, the team found some unexpected results. There was a change in the microbial mix of the mouth – the oral microbiome – showing that the body was increasingly on the lookout for bacterial invaders. Scientists also saw a decrease in signaling molecules important for inflammation and for fighting off viral infections.

A decrease in inflammation makes sense for people exercising vigorously; less inflammation allows people to breathe in air more quickly, meeting the body’s eager demand for more oxygen. Having fewer inflammatory signals in the respiratory system helps the body improve respiration and blood flow.

Less inflammation, more inhalation

But less inflammation leaves the body more vulnerable to viral respiratory infection, which other studies observed in elite athletes and others who exercise vigorously. Some studies have shown that a person is up to twice as likely to come down with a viral respiratory infection in the days after an especially energetic workout.

“People who are very fit might be more prone to viral respiratory infection immediately after vigorous exercise. Having less inflammatory activity to fight off an infection could be one cause,” said Ernesto Nakayasu, a corresponding author of the paper. He notes that the work provides a molecular basis for what clinicians have noticed in their patients who do strenuous workouts.

The team hopes that the findings will help explain why come people are more vulnerable to respiratory infection after a workout.

Source: DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease ExerciseTags :

Review Identifies Most Effective Forms of Exercise to Reduce Blood Pressure

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A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that isometric exercises, which involve contracting muscles to hold the body in position without moving such as in wall squats, are best for reducing resting blood pressure. The researchers reviewed 270 randomised clinical trials with a total of 15 827 participants.

All of the studies included measured blood pressure after two weeks or more of exercise intervention, and included non-intervention control groups. It was found that isometric exercises reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 8.24 and 4.00mmHg respectively. The next most effective forms of training in reducing blood pressure were combined training, followed by dynamic resistance training, aerobic exercise, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

The researchers noted that current guidelines are based on older research and as such don’t include data from new forms of exercise such as HIIT. These guidelines tend to emphasise aerobic training such as running for controlling blood pressure. In addition to helping clinicians optimise individualised exercise recommendations, the new findings suggest that it might be time to update exercise guidelines for preventing and treating high blood pressure.

Source: JAMA Network

Categories : Metabolic DisordersTags :

Meal Skipping, Diet Prescription Pills Least Effective Weight Loss Habits

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A new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association links a healthier diet and increased exercise to weight loss that reduces heart disease risk – while associating skipping meals and taking prescription diet pills with minimal weight loss, weight maintenance or weight gain.

For many in the study sample of more than 20 000, losing a “clinically significant” 5% of their body weight did not eliminate their risk factors for cardiovascular disease, results showed. In fact, the average composite score on eight risk factors for heart disease was the same across the entirety of the study population – regardless of weight loss or gain.

The study is the first to compare weight-loss strategies and results in the context of the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8,” a checklist promoting heart disease risk reduction through the pursuit of recommended metrics for body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking, physical activity, diet and sleep.

The Ohio State University researchers found that overall, US adults had an average score of 60 out of 100 on the Essential 8 suggesting there is plenty of room for improvement even among those whose diet and exercise behaviours helped move the needle on some metrics.

“The Life’s Essential 8 is a valuable tool that provides the core components for cardiovascular health, many of which are modifiable through behaviour change,” said senior study author Colleen Spees, associate professor of medical dietetics in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Ohio State.

“Based on the findings in this study, we have a lot of work to do as a country,” she said. “Even though there were significant differences on several parameters between the groups, the fact remains that as a whole, adults in this country are not adopting the Life’s Essential 8 behaviours that are directly correlated with heart health.”

Data for the analysis came from 20 305 U.S. adults aged 19 or older (average age of 47) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2016. Participants reported their smoking status, physical activity, average hours of sleep per night, weight history and weight loss strategy, and what they had eaten in the previous 24 hours. Health exams and lab tests measured their body mass index, blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood glucose.

The Ohio State researchers used the data to determine individuals’ values for Life’s Essential 8 metrics and assessed their diet quality according to the Healthy Eating Index, which gauges adherence to US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Of the sample, 17 465 participants had lost less than 5% of their body weight, maintained their weight or gained weight in the past year. The remaining 2840 reported intentional loss of at least 5% of their body weight in the same time frame.

“Clinically significant weight loss results in improvements in some health indices,” Spees said. “People should feel hopeful in knowing that losing just 5% of their body weight is meaningful in terms of clinical improvements. This is not a huge weight loss. It’s achievable for most, and I would hope that incentives people instead of being paralysed with a fear of failure.”

In this study, adults with clinically significant weight loss reported higher diet quality, particularly with better scores on intakes of protein, refined grains and added sugar, as well as more moderate and vigorous physical activity and lower LDL cholesterol than the group without clinically significant weight loss. On the other hand, the weight-loss group also had a higher average BMI and HbA1c blood sugar measure and fewer hours of sleep – all metrics that would bring down their composite Life’s Essential 8 score.

A greater proportion of people who did not lose at least 5% of their weight reported skipping meals or using prescription diet pills as weight-loss strategies. Additional strategies reported by this group included low-carb and liquid diets, taking laxatives or vomiting, and smoking.

“We saw that people are still gravitating to non-evidence-based approaches for weight loss, which are not sustainable. What is sustainable is changing behaviours and eating patterns,” Spees said.

Source: Ohio State University

Categories : Cardiovascular Disease Exercise GenderTags :

Strenuous Jobs Increase Men’s Cardiovascular Risk, but Reduce Women’s

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A long-term Danish study found that high physical activity at work was associated with higher risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in men, but in women, this was associated with lower risk. The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, highlight the importance of taking gender into account when considering the impact of high levels of occupational physical activity (OPA).

While previous studies have shown that physical activities in leisure time are protective against cardiovascular disease, high levels of OPA were shown to have no benefit – or even a detrimental effect.

The study followed up participants aged 30–61 years old after 34 years who took part in the Danish Monica 1 study in 1982–84. Participants, 1399 women and 1706 men, were actively employed, without prior IHD and who answered a question on OPA. The participants’ medical records were located in the Danish National Patient Registry and the researchers analysed the data, controlling for increasing numbers of factors such as age, then age and sex, and then age and sex plus factors such as smoking.

Compared to women doing sedentary work, women in all other OPA categories had a lower hazard ratio (HR) for IHD. Among men, the risk of IHD was 22% higher among those with light OPA, and 42% and 46% higher among those with moderate OPA with some lifting or strenuous work with heavy lifting, respectively, compared to men with sedentary OPA. Compared to women with sedentary work, HR for IHD was higher among men in all OPA categories, and a statistically significant interaction between OPA and sex was found.

Demanding or strenuous OPA seems to be a risk factor for IHD among men, whereas a higher level of OPA seems to protect from IHD among women. The researchers wrote that this underlines the importance of taking into account sex differences in studies of health effects of OPA. Future studies should investigate the underlying mechanisms for this difference, such as differences in exposure and physiology.

Categories : Exercise General InterestTags :

Walking 11 Minutes a Day Could Prevent 1 in 10 Early Deaths

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One in ten early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half the recommended level of physical activity, say a team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

In a study published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say that 11 minutes a day (75 minutes a week) of moderate-intensity physical activity – such as a brisk walk – would be sufficient to lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and a number of cancers.

Cardiovascular diseases – such as heart disease and stroke – are the leading cause of death globally, responsible for 17.9 million deaths per year in 2019, while cancers were responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2017. Physical activity – particularly when it is moderate-intensity – is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and the NHS recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week.

To explore the amount of physical activity necessary to have a beneficial impact on several chronic diseases and premature death, researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis, pooling and analysing cohort data from all of the published evidence. This approach allowed them to bring together studies that on their own did not provide sufficient evidence and sometimes disagreed with each other to provide more robust conclusions.

In total, they looked at results reported in 196 peer-reviewed articles, covering more than 30 million participants from 94 large study cohorts, to produce the largest analysis to date of the association between physical activity levels and risk of heart disease, cancer, and early death.

The researchers found that, outside of work-related physical activity, two out of three people reported activity levels below 150 min per week of moderate-intensity activity and fewer than one in ten managed more than 300 min per week.

Broadly speaking, they found that beyond 150 min per week of moderate-intensity activity, the additional benefits in terms of reduced risk of disease or early death were marginal. But even half this amount came with significant benefits: accumulating 75 min per week of moderate-intensity activity brought with it a 23% lower risk of early death.

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.”

Seventy-five minutes per week of moderate activity was also enough to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17% and cancer by 7%. For some specific cancers, the reduction in risk was greater – head and neck, myeloid leukaemia, myeloma, and gastric cardia cancers were between 14 and 26% lower risk. For other cancers, such as lung, liver, endometrial, colon, and breast cancer, a 3–11% lower risk was observed.

Professor James Woodcock from the MRC Epidemiology Unit said: “We know that physical activity, such as walking or cycling, is good for you, especially if you feel it raises your heart rate. But what we’ve found is there are substantial benefits to heart health and reducing your risk of cancer even if you can only manage 10 minutes every day.”

The researchers calculated that if everyone in the studies had done the equivalent of at least 150 min per week of moderate-intensity activity, around one in six (16%) early deaths would be prevented. One in nine (11%) cases of cardiovascular disease and one in 20 (5%) cases of cancer would be prevented.

However, even if everyone managed at least 75 min per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, around one in ten (10%) early deaths would be prevented. One in twenty (5%) cases of cardiovascular disease and nearly one in thirty (3%) cases of cancer would be prevented.

Source: Cambridge University