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One hour of exercise per day reverses negative consequences of sitting for hours
It is common knowledge that too little exercise is not good for our health. For this reason, it is important not to sit all day. For some people, however, there is no opportunity for professional reasons to be more active during the day. For example, many office workers sit their entire working hours. This constant inactivity leads to an increased risk of dying sooner. Researchers have now found that this negative effect is reversed by one hour of exercise a day.
Working more than eight hours a day during the day increases their chances of dying earlier in their lives. Scientists from the internationally acclaimed Cambridge University have now found in an investigation that even an hour of moderate physical activity cancels this effect. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "The Lancet".
It is important for our body to move. If we do not, the probability of certain diseases increases and our life expectancy is reduced. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com) Study examines over a million subjects
So-called lack of exercise damages our body. Physicians are now analyzing the data of more than one million men and women to see how eight hours of sedentary work affects our health and whether possible negative effects can be offset by one hour of exercise.
Many inactive people die of heart disease or cancer
It was clear that many thousands of office workers were up to 60 percent more likely to die prematurely compared to more active people, the researchers report. An inactive lifestyle can lead to heart disease and cancer. These two diseases are the most likely causes of death for inactive people, say the scientists.
Office workers should take a little break every hour to exercise
The physicians found that the increased disease risks can be reversed by at least one hour of moderate activity. A brisk walk or short bike ride can extend our lives. For this reason, scientists demand that employers should allow their employees short breaks. In these employees would then have the opportunity to move. Even the occasional walk to the coffee machine or water dispenser can already reduce the damage caused by daily inactivity, explain the authors.
Climb stairs and refrain from using your car more often
If you spend all day sitting in the office, you should take about five minutes each hour. For example, move to the printer, the coffee machine, or climb some stairs, says Prof. Ekelund from Cambridge University. A movement study has recently found in this country that the Germans are clearly not moving enough. Build more physical activity into your everyday life. For example, do not use your car and walk more often.
Move at least one hour a day
Just one hour of physical activity per day is enough to offset the negative effects of inactivity and hours of sitting, says senior scientist Professor Ulf Ekelund of the University of Cambridge. There's no need to go to gyms or do sports daily to protect your health. It is enough to take a brisk walk in the morning or during lunch break. You can divide your activity into different times of the day, but should total at least one hour of exercise per day, adds the professor.
Some subjects were only active for five minutes a day
Most participants in the study were over the age of 45 years. They came from the USA, Western Europe and Australia. The most active people spent about sixty to 75 minutes daily with moderate activity, the researchers explain. At the other end of the scale, subjects were just five minutes or less active. Researchers compared levels of activity with subjects' death rates over a period of up to 18 years.
Even long television damages our health
An earlier study had already shown that three hours of television a day was enough to increase the increased risk of premature death. This effect was observed in all subjects, except for the most active participants in the study, say the doctors. Again, enough exercise could apparently compensate for the negative effect. (As)