30 minutes to move to sit for better health, the study shows

The 30-minute session day replacement with 30-minute physical activity with light intensity was associated with a 17% lower early death risk study published on the American Journal of Epidemiology on Monday.

"If you change 30 minutes of sitting time with 30 minutes of physical activity of light intensity – it's something like casual walks on the grass – it can still reduce your risk," said Keith Diaz, a certified physiologist and assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, was the first author of the study.

The study included national data for 7999 people aged 45 and over who watched activity monitors in 2009 and 2013 to track their sedentary time. with physical activity.

Researchers found that replacing sitting time with exercise and exercise was a benefit, but there was no replacement for prolonged sessions with shorter sessions.

"We went deeper into the data to try to understand that more, and why people who were in motion every 30 minutes had a lower risk of death: this is because they had more opportunities to move," he said.

The new study had some limitations, including the fact that researchers only found a link between physical activity and lower risk of early death, and the finding was based on simulations.

In general, Diaz said he hoped that the findings would help encourage people to become more active in their daily lives.

"You don't have to take a 10-minute break and go down the stairs," said Diaz.

"If you take a 1-minute break and instead of going to the bathroom closest to your desk, go to the nearest bathroom from your desk, maybe it's enough to help you accumulate this healthy activity, ”he said.” Or, if you have a meeting, walk and talk. ”

However, "one of the things that really jumps out of me is that the baseline report is: physical activity of any intensity is necessary and useful," said Tom, who was not involved in the study.

"In this article, they talk about replacing a 30-minute full-time session with 30 minutes of physical activity and a 17% lower risk of mortality," she said. "It's really gratifying and people are very encouraged."