Researchers found that a one-hour reduction in sedentary time among the majority of adults was associated with a 13 per cent reduction in all deaths
Moderate-intensity physical activity has been linked with reductions of up to 10 per cent in adult deaths, a new study published in The Lancet has found.
Walking at a an average speed of five km/h for an extra five minutes a day is associated with a 10 per cent reduction in all deaths in the majority of adults (who accumulate around 17 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on average), the research found.
Among less active people (those who are active at this intensity on average for around 2 minutes a day) a six per cent reduction in all deaths was observed.
The study also found that reducing sedentary time by 30 minutes per day was associated with an estimated seven per cent reduction in all deaths if adopted by the majority of adults who spend 10 hours being sedentary per day.
For those who spend 12 hours being sedentary per day on average, this small change can lead to a three 3 per cent fall in all deaths.
Current estimates of preventable deaths from increased physical activity and reduced time spent inactive rely on self-reported activity data and assume that people must meet WHO guidelines, overlooking the health benefits of even small increases in physical activity.
Previous evidence from device-measured physical activity suggests that not only moderate-to-vigorous activity (such as walking at a moderate pace), but also light-intensity activity and reduced time spent sedentary, may be associated with a lower risk of death. However, the overall effect of these smaller, achievable changes on the population-level risk of death had not previously been studied.
The new study analysed data from more than 135,000 adults across seven cohorts in Norway, Sweden, and the United States, as well as the UK Biobank, with follow-ups averaging eight years.
Using device-measured physical activity and time spent sedentary, the researchers estimated the proportion of deaths potentially preventable by small daily increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or reductions in sedentary time.
The study also found that being active at least at moderate intensity for an additional 10 minutes per day was associated with a 15 per cent reduction in all deaths among most adults and a nine per cent reduction among the least active adults.
A one-hour reduction in sedentary time among the majority of adults was associated with a 13 per cent reduction in all deaths, and a 6 per cent reduction among the least active adults.
The estimated proportions of preventable deaths due to the same increases in time at moderate intensity and reductions in sedentary time in the UK Biobank cohort were lower but still substantial.
The authors note that, as with any observational study, residual confounding or unmeasured factors, such as mobility limitations could influence results, and the associations cannot definitively establish causation.
The authors say that these estimates provide important evidence on the wide range of public health impacts associated with even small positive changes in physical activity and inactivity.
However, they emphasize that these findings are meant to highlight potential benefits for the population as a whole and should not be used as personalised advice, such as specific exercise recommendations for individuals. More research using wearable activity trackers is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where people’s ages, activity levels, and health risks may differ significantly from those in this study.
Read more: Deaths potentially averted by small changes in physical activity and sedentary time: an individual participant data meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies – The Lancet
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