11 Minutes of Daily Walking Lower Risk of Early Death

News Desk

Islamabad: Doing brisk walking, dancing, riding a bike, playing tennis, or hiking for 11 minutes each day (or 75 minutes per week) would significantly reduce the risk of dying from conditions including heart disease, stroke, and several types of cancer,  according to a new study,

150 minutes per week of physical activity are advised. According to a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK, managing at least half of the population at a moderate to intensive activity level, which is 75 minutes a week or 11 minutes a day, can avoid one in ten premature deaths.

“Our findings should be good news if you are someone who finds the thought of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a little intimidating. It is preferable to engage in ‘some physical activity than none at all,” said University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine MRC Epidemiology Unit Soren Brage.

This is also a good starting point; if 75 minutes per week seem feasible, try gradually increasing it to the full recommended amount,” Soren added.

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.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that 75 minutes per week of moderate activity was enough to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 percent and cancer by 7 percent.

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 percent lower risk. For other cancers, such as lung, liver, endometrial, colon, and breast cancer, a 3–11 percent lower risk was observed.

“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 have found is that there are substantial benefits to heart health and reducing your risk of cancer even if you can only manage 10 minutes every day,” stated University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine MRC Epidemiology Unit Professor James Woodcock.