WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers, from Griffith University in Australia, found that physical activity could extend the lifespan of adults over 40 in the U.S.
They found that if the middle-aged people could be physically active as the top 25 percent of the population, they could expect, on average, to live an extra five years. Also, the most active quarter of people in the US had a 73 percent lower risk of death than their least active counterparts.
'If you're already very active or in that top quartile, an extra hour's walk may not make much difference as you've, in a sense, already 'maxed out' your benefit,' Lead researcher Professor Lennert Veerman said. 'If the least active quartile of the population over age 40 were to increase their activity level to that of the most active quartile however, they might live, on average, about 11 years longer.'
'This is not an unreasonable prospect, as 25 percent of the population is already doing it. It can be any exercise but would roughly be the equivalent of just under three hours of walking per day.'
The researchers added that the importance of physical activity should not be underestimated, even slight physical movements could lead to significant health outcomes.
'If there's something you could do to more than halve your risk of death, physical activity is enormously powerful,' Veerman said.
'If we could increase investment in promoting physical activity and creating living environments that promote it such as walkable or cyclable neighborhoods and convenient, affordable public transport systems, we could not only increase longevity but also reduce pressure on our health systems and the environment.'
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