11 minutes of daily exercise could forestall death, study finds
A woman exercises in a gym in central London, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
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(NewsNation) — A new study suggests that as little as 11 minutes of exercise a day is enough activity to prevent people from dying early.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine published the study, which examined the risks of mortality from 22 conditions, including heart disease, stroke and 14 types of cancer. Participants who did at least 75 minutes of physical activity per week had a significantly lower risk of mortality, and the study’s authors suggested as many as one in 10 premature deaths could be prevented.
That amount of activity is half of what’s currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggests adults need 150 minutes of physical activity per week, which works out to 22 minutes per day.
The CDC suggests people aim for 30 minutes of activity five days a week, recommending at least two days each of aerobic and muscle-building activity.
For those wondering how to fit gym time into a busy schedule, 11 minutes per day could look much more manageable.
The study’s authors also noted that activity doesn’t have to involve typical workouts like jogging or sports. Hiking, dancing, biking and walking were among the suggested activities.
While 11 minutes of activity per day was enough to lower mortality risk, the study did find that those who did the full 150 minutes per week reduced their risk even more. For those who exercised more than 150 minutes per week, however, there was not a significant change in mortality risk.