Daily walk adds years to your life: Just 20 minutes a day is enough
A BRISK daily 20-minute walk could reduce the risk of an early death by almost a third, a new study shows
Lack of exercise is responsible for twice as many deaths as obesity, it says. Couch potatoes face greater danger from deadly cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and stroke as well as some cancers.
However, a 20-minute walk at a vigorous pace, or a cycle ride of the same duration, would move an individual from being classed as inactive to moderately inactive.
That small change alone would reduce their risk of early death by between 16 and 30 per cent, the Cambridge University researchers found.
Across the entire UK population, exercise from a young age would lead to an increase of nearly 12 months in average life expectancy. Individuals moving from total inactivity could gain many more extra years.
Even a small increase in physical activity each day like walking up escalators or using the stairs instead of the lift could provide significant health benefits.
Exercise for 20 minutes is recommended as a minimum and, where at all possible, more extended exercise should be carried out to achieve even greater benefits, the study says.
Professor Ulf Ekelund, head of the research team, said: “This is a simple message – just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits. Physical activity should be an important part of our daily life.”
I walk to my BMW thats in the driveway does that count?
I walk to feed the meter a couple of time a day.