Heart Health
Even a little extra daily exercise may postpone death
Research we're watching
If most middle-aged and older American adults added just 10 minutes of moderate exercise to their normal daily activities, it could prevent more than 110,000 premature deaths each year, new research suggests.
The findings were based on 4,840 people who joined a federal health survey between 2003 and 2006. The participants, who ranged in age from 40 to 85, wore activity monitors for one week. Researchers grouped people based on their activity levels and tracked who died over a 10-year period.
According to their estimates, adding 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise daily could lower total annual deaths in the United States by 7%. More exercise could reap even greater benefits: an additional 20 or 30 extra minutes per day could lower deaths by 13% and 17%, respectively. The findings were published online Jan. 24, 2022, by JAMA Internal Medicine.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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