Here’s some interesting health news.
Just five extra minutes of walking each day could reduce the risk of dying prematurely by around 10 per cent, according to new research. so it our case that means bushwalking, say, an extra 500m-1km per day.
The findings, published in The Lancet, suggest that even modest increases in physical activity can have a meaningful impact on health. The study coincides with separate research indicating that a healthy lifestyle could add up to ten years to life expectancy.
Well we all knew that!
Experts said the results were encouraging, particularly for people who struggle to exercise regularly. Simple activities such as brisk walking, climbing stairs or energetic play with children or grandchildren can make a difference if done often enough. The key message, they said, is that every minute of movement counts.
Researchers followed more than 130,000 middle-aged and older adults for an average of eight years, analysing their daily activity levels. Participants were typically already completing about 17 minutes of moderate activity a day. Adding just five more minutes was associated with a significant reduction in deaths.
The analysis included nearly 95,000 people in Britain, alongside participants from Norway, Sweden and the United States. The researchers also examined sedentary behaviour, finding that cutting sitting time by 30 minutes a day could reduce deaths by between 3 and 7 per cent.
Dr Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London said the findings offered hope, particularly for the least active, showing that small, realistic changes can lead to meaningful health benefits.