Every hour of walking extends the life of those over 40 and who lead a sedentary lifestyle by six hours

We already know that movement is good for health, however estimates are variable regarding the benefit that can be obtained from a well-defined amount of physical activity. Now, a new study conducted by researchers at Griffith University through a specific methodology it seems to provide a little more clarity in this regard.

Rather than relying on survey responses as in other studies, the new Australian research used theaccelerometry (the accelerometer is an instrument used to measure the change in speed of a subject, ed) to get an accurate view of physical activity levels in a sample of the population, and found that the benefits were about double compared to previous estimates.

By dividing the population sample into four sections, depending on the amount of physical activity performed, it was discovered that the section with the most active people in the community had a 73% lower risk of death than those who were absolutely least active.

For less active people, in particular, a single hour-long walk could potentially provide a benefit of around six hours of extra life.

According to the lead researcher, Professor Lennert Veermanthe least active group had the greatest potential for improvement in terms of health: «If you are already very active, an extra hour of walking may not make much difference because, in a certain sense, you have already “used up” your energy. benefits,” he explained. However, If the least active group of the population over the age of 40 increased their activity level to match that of the most active, they could live, on average, about 11 years longer. «This is not an unreasonable prospect, since 25% of the population is already doing it. This can be any type of exercise, but it would roughly equate to just under three hours of walking a day.”

The research team also suggested that low levels of physical activity could even equate to the negative effects of smoking. By extension, a more active lifestyle may therefore offer protective effects against heart disease, stroke, some cancers and other chronic diseases.

Veerman says physical activity has been largely underestimated in its ability to improve health outcomes, and he reiterates that even a modest increase in movement could lead to significant life-extending benefits. “If there is something we can do to reduce the risk of death by half, physical activity is at the top,” the scientist specified.

It can be deduced that «by increasing investments in the promotion of physical activity and in the creation of living environments that promote it, such as pedestrian areas or cycle paths and greater public transport systems, we could not only increase longevity but also reduce the pressure on health systems and the environment”. A hypothesis that Veerman imagined for Australia, but which – considering these results – should be extended to all other countries.