Want to live longer? 11 minutes of daily exercise could be all you need

Exercise is something most of us aspire to fit into our daily routine, but are often unable to due to our “busy” schedules. “I don’t have time” is the most common reason to avoid movement, especially for those engaged in office work. But, soon this excuse may not work. A new study says that dedicating just 11 minutes of your time for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day could do wonders for your health. The research published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that only 11 minutes of daily moderate exercise could slash the risk of premature death, noted NBC News. How was the study carried out and what are the findings? Let’s take a closer look. Method of research The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, Queen’s University Belfast and other institutions, looked at data from 196 past studies, covering more than 30 million adult participants for an average of over 10 years to gauge the association between higher levels of physical activity and 22 different health outcomes, as per reports. The researchers mainly analysed those who followed the minimum recommended amount of 150 minutes of exercise every week, or 22 minutes daily, reported CNN. “The investigators looked extensively at the available evidence and provided encouraging findings,” I-Min Lee, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study, told The Washington Post. ALSO READ: Can zero-calorie sweetener, erythritol, increase the risks of heart attack and stroke? What are the results?

The study says that one in 10 premature deaths might be averted if everyone does moderate exercise for 75 minutes per week.

This is half the amount of physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggest 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Moderate exercise includes brisk walking, cycling and dancing. While vigorous intensity exercises are those where it becomes difficult to carry on a conversation, such as hiking, jogging, running, swimming fast, and aerobics. [caption id=“attachment_12233132” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Moderate exercise includes brisk walking, cycling and dancing. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] According to the new study, adults who practice 150 minutes of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity per week are 31 per cent less likely to die than inactive people. They also have a 29 per cent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 15 per cent lower risk of death from cancer, reported CNN. This amount of physical activity also lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 27 per cent and cancer by 12 per cent. Moreover, if people exercised for 150 minutes a week, 16 per cent, or 1 in 6, of all premature deaths may be prevented. Dr Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, told CNN, “We already knew that there was a strong correlation between increased physical activity and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death. This research confirms it, and furthermore states that a smaller amount than the 150 minutes of recommended exercise a week can help.” ALSO READ: What’s the perfect time to exercise during the day if you want to lose weight? Here’s what science says What changes can 75 minutes of exercise per week make? People who managed moderate exercise for 75 minutes a week, or about 11 minutes a day, were 23 per cent less likely to meet an early death than those who moved less, the study claimed.

These 11 daily minutes of daily exercise can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 per cent and cancer by 7 per cent.

In some cancers, like myeloid leukemia, myeloma and some stomach cancers, the risk is reduced by as much as 26 per cent, noted The Washington Post. “If you are someone who finds the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news,” study author Dr Soren Brage, group leader of the Physical Activity Epidemiology group in the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said in a news release. “This is also a good starting position — if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually to the full recommended amount.” [caption id=“attachment_12233152” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Just 11 daily minutes of daily exercise can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 per cent and cancer by 7 per cent, says the study. Pixabay (Representational Image)[/caption] What does this mean? The study shows that only a few minutes of daily exercise can bring positive health outcomes. Lee told The Washington Post, the study indicates that “the biggest bang for the buck comes when someone moves from doing nothing to doing even half the recommended levels” of physical activity. Speaking to NBC News, Amanda Paluch, an epidemiologist and kinesiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst explained, “Physical activity works on nearly every cell of the body”. “It could influence things like inflammation, for example, which is associated with cancer”, Paluch added. The epidemiologist has warned that 11 minutes should not be considered as a minimum or maximum daily target. “This is a very broad, generalized number, so putting a lot of stock in that specific number would be a little challenging,” Paluch told NBC News.  Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiovascular and metabolic health at the University of Glasgow, who was not a part of the new study, told Live Science in an email that those looking to increase more exercise in their daily routines should select physical activities that are “realistic and fit within their current lifestyle”. “Activity that is fun or a necessity — or ideally both — is sustainable”. “Walking 1,000 steps more a day (roughly 10 minutes of activity) is often a good start for many, but you need to find a way to enjoy walking, by listening to a podcast or going with a friend, or by making it a necessity by introducing it into your commute to work,” he told Live Science.  With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.