A recent study found that an extra 5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day, or sitting 30 minutes less per day, can potentially extend their life. There are several lifestyle alterations that one can make that can help to boost longevity. These include sleeping well, performing physical activities, eating whole foods, drinking less alcohol, not smoking and lowering stress, among others. The study was published in the journal The Lancet.
The study included more than 150,000 adult participants from the United States, Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The researchers analysed data from previous studies. All selected studies included physical activity data collected through the use of devices. Speaking to Medical News Today, Ulf Ekelund, PhD, professor at the Oslo Research Centre for Physical Activity and Population Health in the Department of Sports Medicine at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Norway, and principal investigator of this study, said, "We and many others have shown that higher levels of physical activity is beneficially associated with numerous health outcomes, quality of life and lower risk for premature mortality."
He also said, "However, it is unclear how small changes in physical activity and sedentary time might prevent the number of deaths in the population, given that all individuals increase their activity levels."
The researchers followed the participants for an average of 8 years. They found that adding in an extra 5 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day lowered the number of all deaths by 6% in the least active 20% of participants. The researchers also found that when they used this 5-minute addition to the entire participant population, the possible prevention of deaths rose to 10%.
Ekelund said, "It means that in a population where 100,000 individuals die every year, 6,000 of these might be preventable by a five-minute increase in activity in the least active 20%."
Researchers also analysed how sitting less each day can help prevent deaths. The study found that sitting 30 minutes less a day can help prevent 3% of deaths among the least active, and 7% across the whole participant population. Ekelund said, "If all in the population groups decreased their sitting by 30 minutes, 3,000 and 7,000 deaths might be prevented in a population with 100,000 deaths - this is close to the annual death rate in Sweden."
He added, "Small changes in physical activity and sedentary time might have profound health benefits in the population if all in the population adhere to these changes. We plan to examine the effects of small changes in daily steps on the potential number of deaths averted and possibly disease incidents."
Easy Ways To Add 5 Minutes To Your Physical Activity Routine
- Morning Kickstart: Start 5 minutes early for gentle stretches or marching in place. This wakes muscles, improves circulation, and sets the tone. It also helps you perform yoga poses like cat-cow with ease.
- Changes in Commute: Park farther or exit public transport one stop early to walk briskly. Taking stairs over elevators can add steps, burn calories during routine travel.
- Desk Breaks: Stand for calls or do seated leg lifts every hour. Set a timer for quick shoulder rolls or desk push-ups. These can help counter sedentary work while improving focus.
- Household Hacks: Squat while brushing floors or calf raises waiting for the kettle. Dance to music during cooking for fun cardio that fits home life.
- Evening Wind-Down: Do jumping jacks during TV ads or go for a stroll post-dinner. You can also go for family walks to build habits, supporting your fitness goals.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
