We already know that sport is very beneficial for our health, moreover, it is necessary for us to enjoy a good quality of life. But now a study published in the journal ‘POLOS Medicine’ has succeeded in quantifying the positive effects of physical activity.
A little sport is enough
- The scientific study, which has analyzed 650,000 adults, most of them over 40 years of age, concludes that it is not necessary to spend a lot of time on sport. In fact, their conclusions stipulate that between 1.5 and 2.5 hours of weekly exercise, depending on the intensity of it, are sufficient.
- If the aerobic exercise is moderate and allows us to talk but not sing, more than two hours a week will be necessary. If the intensity of the sport is higher and we can only talk for a few seconds without having to catch our breath, then an hour and a half every seven days is enough.
- In this way, an individual who performs sports with the intensity and time described, would enjoy an extra life expectancy of 3.4 years, according to the study by the National Cancer Institute of the United States. And, even better, it seems that by doubling the physical effort, we would be talking about up to 4.2 more years of life.
- “Our results highlight the important contribution that leisure time devoted to physical activity in adulthood can make to longevity. Regular exercise prolongs life in all groups examined, with normal weight, overweight or obesity,” he assured. The study’s lead author, Dr. Steven Moore, of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
Just walking also lengthens life
- But, what if we exercise but in a softer way? Logically, if the physical activity we do -for example, walking- does not make us an effort, we will need to significantly increase the time we dedicate to that exercise, but we will also notice its positive effects.
- The results determine that physical activity at a level equivalent to brisk walking for 75 minutes per week increases life expectancy of approximately 1.8 years.
- So there is no excuse to practice sports, with the intensity and time that each one of us can dedicate to it. Our life is at stake.