Article:
(Reuters Health) - Staying active, even only slightly, confers major longevity benefits, researchers say. 
  
 During many years of follow-up, people who did less than the minimum recommended amount of physical activity still had a considerable decrease in risk of death compared to people who did no activity at all, in a new analysis of six studies. 
  
 “Our findings support the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week for “substantial” health benefit, and suggest “additional” benefit with more than double the exercise minimum,” said lead author Hannah Arem of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. 
  
 Researchers pooled data on more than 660,000 men and women in the U.S. and Europe from previous studies. Half the studies had tracked participants for more than 14 years. Overall, 116,686 deaths were recorded. 
  
 Based on self-reports of physical activity, people who did less than the recommended minimum of activity were still 20 percent less likely to die during the studies than people who were not active at all. 
  
 Mortality risk was 31 percent lower for people who did one to two times the recommended minimum, and 37 percent lower for those who did two to three times the recommended minimum activity. 
  
 Mortality risk seemed to level off at three to five times the recommended minimum amount of exercise, which is equivalent to a weekly minimum of walking 7 hours or running 2 hours 15 minutes, Arem told Reuters Health by email. 
  
 But there was no evidence that doing even 10 times the minimum recommended amount would do any harm, the authors write in JAMA Internal Medicine. The results were similar whether the research team analyzed deaths from any cause, or deaths specifically from cardiovascular disease or cancer. 
  
 “While we adjusted for known mortality risk factors like body mass index and smoking, we were not able to adjust for diet in this study as we did not have information available in all cohorts,” she said. “However, in previous analyses in these cohorts where information on diet was available, the associations between physical activity and mortality persisted even after they were adjusted for diet.” 
  
 The new results largely reinforce existing guidelines, which already state that some activity is better than no activity, according to Todd M. Manini of the University of Florida in Gainesville. 
  
 Manini wrote an editorial accompanying the new findings. 
  
 “Getting just a little bit above doing nothing, there was a 20 percent reduction in mortality,” he told Reuters Health by phone. “That was the biggest shift going from one category to another.” 
  
 Just one hour of brisk walking or 30 minutes of jogging or biking per week is enough to move into that first category and out of the “inactive” group, he noted. Doing more than the recommended amount didn’t seem to decrease mortality risk much further, but may have many other health benefits beyond just decreasing the risk of death, Manini said. 
  
 Volume of activity, rather than intensity, drove longevity benefit in the new findings, Arem said. 
  
 A study of middle-aged and older Australians published in the same issue of JAMA Internal Medicine found that vigorous activity was more strongly linked to a decreased risk of death than moderate intensity activity. 
  
 “Future research is needed to determine whether associations between physical activity and mortality differ by specific activities,” Arem said. 
  
 SOURCE: bit.ly/IZGqPC JAMA Internal Medicine, online April 6, 2015. ||||| Doing a few hours of exercise every week will probably help you live longer, but doing a whole lot more exercise doesn't provide much extra benefit, according to a new study on physical activity and longevity. 
  
 Still, doing as much as 10 times the recommended amount of exercise was not linked with an increased risk of dying during the study period. That's good news for marathon runners and triathletes who may have been concerned about the long-term health effects of such high levels of activity. 
  
 In the study, researchers analyzed information from more than 660,000 people ages 21 to 98 in the United States and Sweden who answered questions about how much time they spent doing physical activity, including walking, running, swimming and bicycling. (These questions were asked as part of earlier research conducted in the 1990s and 2000s.) 
  
 People who got some exercise, but not enough to meet the physical activity recommendations were still 20 percent less likely to die over a 14-year period than those who did not do any physical activity. (The recommendations say to do 150 minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.) 
  
 People who engaged in the recommended level of physical activity saw even more benefit: They were 31 percent less likely to die during the study period, compared with those who did not engage in any physical activity. [7 Common Exercise Errors and How to Fix Them] 
  
 But doing a lot more activity than that did not provide much added benefit. The maximum benefit was seen among people who engaged in three to five times the recommended levels of physical activity; they were 39 percent less likely to die over the study period than people who did no exercise. Engaging in more exercise than this was not linked with any additional benefit. 
  
 Although some earlier studies suggested that people who practice extreme endurance training have an increased risk of heart problems, the new study found no link between very high levels of physical activity (10 or more times the recommended level) and an increased risk of death. 
  
 "These findings are informative for individuals at both ends of the physical activity spectrum: They provide important evidence to inactive individuals by showing that modest amounts of activity provide substantial benefit for postponing mortality while reassuring very active individuals of no exercise-associated increase in mortality risk," the researchers, from the National Cancer Institute, wrote in the April 6 issue of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. 
  
 In an editorial accompanying the study, Todd Manini, of the University of Florida's Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, pointed out that the people most likely to benefit from increasing the amount of exercise they do are those who do not currently do any. 
  
 "A lot of the mortality reductions were seen in people only one step away from doing no leisure-time physical activity," Manini said, referring to the group that did some physical activity, but not enough to meet the recommendations. 
  
 Doctors should target this group with exercise counseling, Manini said. "Physicians who seek out the segment of the population that performs no leisure-time physical activity could receive the most payback in their patient's health." 
  
 The new study relied on reports of physical activity at one point in time, and it's possible that people changed their levels of physical activity over the study period, the researchers said. 
  
 In addition, the study looked at the time spent engaged in physical activity, but did not focus on the intensity of that activity. That is, it did not directly compare those who engaged in moderate activity versus those who engaged in vigorous activity. But the study did find that people who met the recommended level of physical activity — either through moderate or vigorous activity levels — had a reduced risk of death. 
  
 In a separate study, also published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers in Australia found that people who engaged in vigorous activity (such as jogging or aerobics) were 9 to 13 percent less likely to die over a six-year period than those who engaged in only moderate activity (such as gentle swimming or household chores). 
  
 "Our research indicates that even small amounts of vigorous activity could help reduce your risk of early death," study researcher Klaus Gebel, of James Cook University's Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention in Australia, said in a statement. 
  
 But people with medical conditions, older adults or those who have not previously engaged in vigorous activity should speak with their doctors before beginning an exercise program, Gebel said. 
  
 Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. ||||| Importance The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommended a minimum of 75 vigorous-intensity or 150 moderate-intensity minutes per week (7.5 metabolic-equivalent hours per week) of aerobic activity for substantial health benefit and suggested additional benefits by doing more than double this amount. However, the upper limit of longevity benefit or possible harm with more physical activity is unclear. 
  
 Objective To quantify the dose-response association between leisure time physical activity and mortality and define the upper limit of benefit or harm associated with increased levels of physical activity. 
  
 Design, Setting, and Participants We pooled data from 6 studies in the National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium (baseline 1992-2003). Population-based prospective cohorts in the United States and Europe with self-reported physical activity were analyzed in 2014. A total of 661 137 men and women (median age, 62 years; range, 21-98 years) and 116 686 deaths were included. We used Cox proportional hazards regression with cohort stratification to generate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Median follow-up time was 14.2 years. 
  
 Exposures Leisure time moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity. 
  
 Main Outcomes and Measures The upper limit of mortality benefit from high levels of leisure time physical activity. 
  
 Results Compared with individuals reporting no leisure time physical activity, we observed a 20% lower mortality risk among those performing less than the recommended minimum of 7.5 metabolic-equivalent hours per week (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.78-0.82]), a 31% lower risk at 1 to 2 times the recommended minimum (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.67-0.70]), and a 37% lower risk at 2 to 3 times the minimum (HR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.62-0.65]). An upper threshold for mortality benefit occurred at 3 to 5 times the physical activity recommendation (HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.59-0.62]); however, compared with the recommended minimum, the additional benefit was modest (31% vs 39%). There was no evidence of harm at 10 or more times the recommended minimum (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.59-0.78]). A similar dose-response relationship was observed for mortality due to cardiovascular disease and to cancer. 
  
 Conclusions and Relevance Meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans minimum by either moderate- or vigorous-intensity activities was associated with nearly the maximum longevity benefit. We observed a benefit threshold at approximately 3 to 5 times the recommended leisure time physical activity minimum and no excess risk at 10 or more times the minimum. In regard to mortality, health care professionals should encourage inactive adults to perform leisure time physical activity and do not need to discourage adults who already participate in high-activity levels. |||||Summary:
– If you've given up physical activity because you don't have the time or inclination to achieve recommended weekly exercise levels, strap on your walking shoes: A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine indicates that something's better than nothing in terms of increasing longevity. Scientists from the National Cancer Institute looked back at six studies and found individuals who followed the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise—or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity workouts—achieved "substantial" benefit, while those who doubled that baseline reaped "additional" benefit, Reuters reports. But researchers also made the significant find that those who exercised even a bit were 20% less likely to die than those who hunkered down on the couch with their remotes and did nothing. Scientists looked at 661,137 men and women (ages 21 to 98) who provided their own reports on their physical activity levels; 116,686 deaths were reported among these subjects, per the study. Those who met the guidelines saw a 31% increase in longevity over their nonactive counterparts, while participants who did three to five times the recommended levels did 39% better than the sedentary, LiveScience reports. Interestingly, exercise beyond that didn't seem to confer further benefit, but it also didn't appear to be harmful: Researchers found no link between those who worked out up to 10 times or more than the guidelines and increased death rate. A University of Florida aging specialist writes in the study's accompanying editorial that "physicians who seek out the segment of the population that performs no leisure-time physical activity could receive the most payback in their patient's health" if they recommend even a small amount of exercise. (Even a lunchtime stroll may make you feel better.)
Artikel: (Reuters Health) - Att vara aktiv, även om det bara är något, ger stora fördelar under lång tid, säger forskare. Under många års uppföljning hade personer som gjorde mindre än den rekommenderade minimimängden fysisk aktivitet fortfarande en betydande minskning av risken för dödsfall jämfört med personer som inte gjorde någon aktivitet alls, i en ny analys av sex studier. “Våra resultat stöder 2008 Fysisk aktivitet riktlinjer för amerikaner, som rekommenderar minst 150 minuter av måttlig intensitet eller 75 minuter av kraftfull-intensitet aktivitet per vecka för “väsentlig” hälsonytta, och föreslå “ytterligare” nytta med mer än dubbelt så mycket motion minimum,” sade huvudförfattare Hannah Arem vid National Cancer Institute i Bethesda, Maryland. Forskare samlade data om mer än 660 000 män och kvinnor i USA och Europa från tidigare studier. Hälften av studierna hade spårat deltagare i mer än 14 år. Totalt registrerades 116 686 dödsfall. Baserat på självrapporter om fysisk aktivitet var det fortfarande mindre troligt att personer som gjorde mindre än det rekommenderade minimiaktiviteten skulle dö under studierna än personer som inte var aktiva alls. Dödlighetsrisken var 31 procent lägre för personer som gjorde en till två gånger det rekommenderade minimum, och 37 procent lägre för dem som gjorde två till tre gånger den rekommenderade minimiaktiviteten. Dödlighetsrisken verkade plana ut på tre till fem gånger den rekommenderade minsta mängden motion, vilket motsvarar en veckominimum av promenader 7 timmar eller kör 2 timmar 15 minuter, berättade Arem Reuters Health via e-post. Men det fanns inga bevis för att göra ens 10 gånger det rekommenderade minimibeloppet skulle göra någon skada, författarna skriver i JAMA Internal Medicine. Resultaten var likartade om forskargruppen analyserade dödsfall från någon orsak, eller dödsfall specifikt från hjärt-kärlsjukdom eller cancer. “Medan vi justerat för känd dödlighet riskfaktorer som kroppsmasseindex och rökning, vi kunde inte justera för kost i denna studie eftersom vi inte hade information tillgänglig i alla kohorter,” sade hon. “I tidigare analyser i dessa kohorter där information om kost fanns tillgänglig, kvarstod dock associationerna mellan fysisk aktivitet och dödlighet även efter att de justerats för kost.” De nya resultaten förstärker i stort sett befintliga riktlinjer, som redan uppger att viss aktivitet är bättre än ingen aktivitet, enligt Todd M. Manini vid University of Florida i Gainesville. Manini skrev en ledarartikel som åtföljde de nya rönen. “Att få bara lite över göra ingenting, det fanns en 20 procent minskning av dödligheten,” sade han Reuters Hälsa via telefon. “Det var den största skifte går från en kategori till en annan.” Bara en timme av rask promenader eller 30 minuter av jogging eller cykling per vecka är tillräckligt för att flytta in i den första kategorin och ur den ”inaktiva” gruppen, konstaterade han. Att göra mer än den rekommenderade mängden inte verkar minska dödlighetsrisken mycket mer, men kan ha många andra hälsofördelar utöver bara minska risken för död, sade Manini. Aktivitetsvolym, snarare än intensitet, drev livslängd nytta i de nya resultaten, sade Arem. En studie av medelålders och äldre australier publicerade i samma nummer av JAMA Internal Medicine fann att kraftigare aktivitet var starkare kopplad till en minskad dödsrisk än måttlig intensitetsaktivitet. “Framtida forskning behövs för att avgöra om samband mellan fysisk aktivitet och dödlighet skiljer sig åt genom specifika aktiviteter,” Arem sade. KÄLLA: bit.ly/IZGqPC JAMA Internal Medicine, online 6 april 2015. Att göra några timmars träning varje vecka kommer förmodligen att hjälpa dig att leva längre, men att göra en hel del mer motion ger inte mycket extra nytta, enligt en ny studie om fysisk aktivitet och livslängd. Men att göra så mycket som 10 gånger den rekommenderade motionsmängden var inte kopplat till en ökad risk för att dö under studieperioden. Det är goda nyheter för maratonlöpare och triathletare som kan ha varit oroliga för de långsiktiga hälsoeffekterna av så hög aktivitet. I studien analyserade forskare information från mer än 660 000 personer i åldrarna 21–98 år i USA och Sverige som svarade på frågor om hur mycket tid de ägnade åt fysisk aktivitet, bland annat promenader, löpning, simning och cykling. (Dessa frågor ställdes som en del av tidigare forskning som bedrivits under 1990- och 2000-talen.) Personer som fick lite motion, men inte tillräckligt för att uppfylla rekommendationerna fysisk aktivitet var fortfarande 20 procent mindre benägna att dö under en 14-årsperiod än de som inte gjorde någon fysisk aktivitet. (Rekommendationer säger att man ska göra 150 minuter av måttlig aktivitet per vecka eller 75 minuter av kraftig aktivitet per vecka.) Personer som ägnade sig åt den rekommenderade nivån av fysisk aktivitet såg ännu större nytta: De var 31 procent mindre benägna att dö under studieperioden, jämfört med dem som inte ägnade sig åt någon fysisk aktivitet. [7 Vanliga övningsfel och hur man fixar dem] Men att göra mycket mer aktivitet än så gav inte mycket extra nytta. Den maximala nyttan sågs bland människor som ägnade sig åt tre till fem gånger den rekommenderade nivån av fysisk aktivitet; de var 39 procent mindre benägna att dö under studieperioden än personer som inte motionerade. Att engagera sig i mer motion än så var inte kopplat till någon ytterligare fördel. Även om vissa tidigare studier tydde på att personer som tränar extrem uthållighet har en ökad risk för hjärtproblem, fann den nya studien inget samband mellan mycket höga nivåer av fysisk aktivitet (10 eller mer gånger den rekommenderade nivån) och en ökad risk för dödsfall. "Dessa resultat är informativa för individer i båda ändarna av den fysiska aktiviteten spektrum: De ger viktiga bevis för inaktiva individer genom att visa att blygsamma mängder av aktivitet ger betydande nytta för att skjuta upp dödligheten samtidigt som försäkrar mycket aktiva individer av ingen motion-associerad ökning av dödlighetsrisken," forskarna, från National Cancer Institute, skrev i april 6 numret av tidskriften JAMA Internal Medicine. I en ledarartikel som åtföljde studien påpekade Todd Manini vid University of Floridas Department of Aging and Geriatric Research att de personer som har störst chans att dra nytta av att öka den mängd motion de gör är de som för närvarande inte gör några. "Mycket av minskningen av dödligheten sågs hos människor bara ett steg från att göra någon fysisk aktivitet på fritiden", sade Manini och hänvisade till den grupp som gjorde en del fysisk aktivitet, men inte tillräckligt för att uppfylla rekommendationerna. Läkare borde rikta in sig på den här gruppen med motionsrådgivning, sade Manini. "Fysiker som söker upp den del av befolkningen som inte utför någon fysisk aktivitet på fritiden kan få mest hämnd i sin patients hälsa." Den nya studien förlitade sig på rapporter om fysisk aktivitet vid ett tillfälle, och det är möjligt att människor ändrade sina nivåer av fysisk aktivitet under studieperioden, sade forskarna. Dessutom undersöktes den tid som ägnades åt fysisk aktivitet i studien, men den fokuserades inte på intensiteten i denna aktivitet. Det vill säga att den inte direkt jämförde dem som ägnade sig åt måttlig verksamhet med dem som ägnade sig åt kraftig verksamhet. Men undersökningen visade att människor som uppfyllde den rekommenderade nivån av fysisk aktivitet — antingen genom måttlig eller kraftig aktivitet — hade en minskad risk för dödsfall. I en separat studie, som också publiceras idag i JAMA Internal Medicine, fann forskare i Australien att personer som ägnade sig åt kraftig aktivitet (såsom jogging eller aerobics) var 9 till 13 procent mindre benägna att dö under en sexårsperiod än de som ägnade sig åt endast måttlig aktivitet (såsom varsam simning eller hushållssysslor). "Vår forskning visar att även små mängder av kraftfull aktivitet kan bidra till att minska din risk för tidig död," studie forskare Klaus Gebel, James Cook University Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention i Australien, sade i ett uttalande. Men människor med medicinska tillstånd, äldre vuxna eller de som inte tidigare har ägnat sig åt kraftig verksamhet bör tala med sina läkare innan de börjar ett träningsprogram, sade Gebel. Följ Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Följ Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originalartikel om Levande vetenskap. Vikt 2008 års riktlinjer för fysisk aktivitet för amerikaner rekommenderade minst 75 kraftfulla-intensitet eller 150 måttlig-intensitet minuter per vecka (7,5 metaboliska-ekvivalenta timmar per vecka) av aerob aktivitet för betydande hälsofördelar och föreslog ytterligare fördelar genom att göra mer än dubbelt så mycket. Den övre gränsen för livslängd nytta eller eventuella skador med mer fysisk aktivitet är dock oklart. Mål Att kvantifiera dosresponsen mellan fysisk aktivitet och dödlighet under fritiden och definiera den övre gränsen för nytta eller skada i samband med ökad fysisk aktivitet. Design, inställning och deltagare Vi samlade data från 6 studier i National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium (baseline 1992-2003). Befolkningsbaserade prospektiva kohorter i USA och Europa med självrapporterad fysisk aktivitet analyserades 2014. Totalt inkluderades 661 137 män och kvinnor (medianålder, 62 år; intervall, 21–98 år) och 116 686 dödsfall. Vi använde Cox proportionell risk regression med kohortstratifiering för att generera multivariabeljusterade riskkvoter (HR) och 95% KI. Mediantiden för uppföljning var 14,2 år. Exponeringar Fritid måttlig till kraftig fysisk aktivitet. Huvudresultat och mått Den övre gränsen för dödligheten gynnas av höga nivåer av fysisk aktivitet på fritiden. Resultat Jämfört med individer som inte rapporterade någon fysisk aktivitet på fritiden, observerade vi en 20% lägre mortalitetsrisk bland dem som uppnådde mindre än det rekommenderade minimivärdet av 7,5 metaboliska-ekvivalenta timmar per vecka (HR, 0,80 [95% KI, 0,78–0,82), en 31% lägre risk vid 1 till 2 gånger den rekommenderade lägsta (HR, 0,69 [95% KI, 0,67-0,70]), och en 37% lägre risk vid 2 till 3 gånger den lägsta (HR, 0,63 [95% KI, 0,62-0,65)). En övre tröskel för mortalitetsnytta uppnåddes vid 3 till 5 gånger den rekommenderade fysiska aktiviteten (HR, 0,61 [95 % KI, 0,59–0,62]); den ytterligare fördelen var dock måttlig (31 % jämfört med 39 %). Det fanns inga tecken på skada vid minst 10 gånger det rekommenderade minimumvärdet (HR, 0,69 [95% KI, 0,59-0,78)). Ett liknande dosresponsförhållande observerades för mortalitet på grund av kardiovaskulär sjukdom och cancer. Slutsatser och relevans Att uppfylla 2008 års riktlinjer för fysisk aktivitet för amerikaner minimalt genom antingen måttlig- eller kraftfull-intensitet aktiviteter var associerat med nästan maximal livslängd nytta. Vi observerade en förmånströskel på cirka 3 till 5 gånger den rekommenderade fritiden fysisk aktivitet minimum och ingen överrisk vid 10 eller mer gånger den minsta. När det gäller dödlighet bör hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal uppmuntra vuxna som inte är yrkesverksamma att utöva fysisk aktivitet på fritiden och inte behöva avskräcka vuxna som redan deltar i hög aktivitetsnivå. ••••••••••••••••••••••
Article: (Reuters Health) - Being active, even if it's just something, brings great benefits for a long time, researchers say. During many years of follow-up, persons who did less than the recommended minimum amount of physical activity still had a significant reduction in the risk of death compared to people who did not do any activity at all, in a new analysis of six studies. “Our results support 2008 Physical activity guidelines for Americans, who recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of powerful-intensity activity per week for “essential” health benefits, and suggest “further” benefits with more than twice as much exercise minimum,” said lead author Hannah Arem of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers collected data on more than 660,000 men and women in the United States and Europe from previous studies. Half of the studies had been tracking participants for more than 14 years. A total of 116,686 deaths were recorded. Based on self-reports of physical activity, people who did less than the recommended minimum activity were still less likely to die during the studies than people who were not active at all. The mortality risk was 31 percent lower for people who did one to two times the recommended minimum, and 37 percent lower for those who did two to three times the recommended minimum activity. The mortality risk appeared to level out on three to five times the recommended minimum amount of exercise, equivalent to a weekly minimum of walking 7 hours or driving 2 hours 15 minutes, told Arem Reuters Health by email. But there was no evidence to do even 10 times the recommended minimum amount would do any harm, the authors write in JAMA Internal Medicine. The results were similar if the research group analysed deaths from any cause, or deaths specifically from cardiovascular disease or cancer. “While we adjusted for known mortality risk factors such as body mass index and smoking, we could not adjust for diet in this study because we did not have information available in all cohorts,” she said. “In previous analyses in these cohorts where dietary information was available, however, the associations between physical activity and mortality remained even after they were adjusted for diet.” The new results largely reinforce existing guidelines, which already state that some activity is better than no activity, according to Todd M. Manini of the University of Florida in Gainesville. Manini wrote an editorial accompanying the new findings. “Getting just a little over doing nothing, there was a 20 percent reduction in mortality,” he said Reuters Health by phone. “It was the biggest shift going from one category to another.” Just an hour of brisk walking or 30 minutes of jogging or cycling per week is enough to move into the first category and out of the “inactive” group,” he noted. Doing more than the recommended amount does not seem to reduce the mortality risk much more, but may have many other health benefits beyond just reducing the risk of death, Manini said. Activity volume, rather than intensity, drove longevity benefits in the new results, said Arem. A study of middle-aged and older Australians published in the same issue of JAMA Internal Medicine found that stronger activity was more closely linked to a reduced death risk than moderate intensity activity. “Future research is needed to determine whether the relationship between physical activity and mortality differs through specific activities,” Arem said. SOURCE: bit.ly/IZGqPC JAMA Internal Medicine, online 6 April 2015. Doing a few hours of exercise each week will probably help you live longer, but doing a lot more exercise does not provide much extra benefit, according to a new study on physical activity and longevity. However, doing as much as 10 times the recommended amount of exercise was not linked to an increased risk of dying during the study period. It is good news for marathon runners and triathletes who may have been concerned about the long-term health effects of such high activity. In the study, researchers analysed information from more than 660,000 people aged 21–98 in the United States and Sweden who answered questions about how much time they devoted to physical activity, including walking, running, swimming and cycling. (These questions were asked as part of previous research conducted in the 1990s and 2000s.) People who received little exercise, but not enough to meet the recommendations of physical activity were still 20 percent less likely to die over a 14-year period than those who did not do any physical activity. (Recommendations say to make 150 minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of heavy activity per week.) Persons engaged in the recommended level of physical activity saw even greater benefit: They were 31 percent less likely to die during the study period, compared to those who did not engage in any physical activity. [7 Common practice errors and how to fix them] But doing much more activity than that did not provide much extra benefit. The maximum benefit was seen among people who engaged in three to five times the recommended level of physical activity; they were 39 percent less likely to die during the study period than people who did not exercise. Getting involved in more exercise than that was not linked to any further advantage. Although some previous studies suggested that people exercising extreme endurance have an increased risk of heart problems, the new study found no correlation between very high levels of physical activity (10 or more times the recommended level) and an increased risk of death. "These results are informative for individuals at both ends of the physical activity spectrum: They provide important evidence for inactive individuals by showing that modest amounts of activity provide significant benefit in postponing mortality while insuring highly active individuals of no exercise-associated increase in mortality risk," the researchers, from the National Cancer Institute, wrote in April 6 the issue of JAMA Internal Medicine magazine. In an editorial accompanying the study, Todd Manini of the University of Florida's Department of Aging and Geriatric Research pointed out that the people who have the greatest chance to benefit from increasing the amount of exercise they make are those who are currently not doing any. "Much of the reduction in mortality was seen in humans just one step away from doing any physical activity in leisure," Manini said, referring to the group that did some physical activity, but not enough to meet the recommendations. Doctors should focus on this group of exercise counseling, Manini said. "Physicians seeking out the part of the population that does not perform any physical activity in leisure can get the most revenge in their patient's health." The new study relied on reports of physical activity at one point, and it is possible that people changed their levels of physical activity during the study period, the researchers said. In addition, the time devoted to physical activity in the study was investigated, but it was not focused on the intensity of this activity. That is, it did not directly compare those engaged in moderate activity with those engaged in vigorous activity. However, the study showed that people who met the recommended level of physical activity — either by moderate or vigorous activity — had a reduced risk of death. In a separate study, also published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers in Australia found that persons engaged in heavy activity (such as jogging or aerobics) were 9 to 13 percent less likely to die over a six-year period than those engaged in only moderate activity (such as gentle swimming or household chores). "Our research shows that even small amounts of powerful activity can help reduce your risk of early death," study researcher Klaus Gebel, James Cook University Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention in Australia, said in a statement. However, people with medical conditions, older adults, or those who have not previously engaged in vigorous activity should talk to their doctors before starting a training program, said Gebel. Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Living Science. Weight 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommended at least 75 powerful-intensity or 150 moderate-intensity minutes per week (7.5 metabolic-equivalent hours per week) of aerobic activity for significant health benefits and suggested additional benefits by doing more than twice as much. However, the upper limit of longevity benefit or possible damage with more physical activity is unclear. Objective To quantify the dose response between physical activity and leisure mortality and define the upper limit of benefit or damage associated with increased physical activity. Design, setting and participants We collected data from 6 studies in the National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium (baseline 1992-2003). Population-based prospective cohorts in the United States and Europe with self-reported physical activity were analysed in 2014. A total of 661,137 men and women (median age, 62 years; range, 21–98 years) and 116,686 deaths were included. We used Cox proportional risk regression with cohort stratification to generate multivariable adjusted risk ratios (HR) and 95% CI. The median follow-up time was 14.2 years. Exposures Leisure moderate to excessive physical activity. Main results and measures The upper limit of mortality benefits from high levels of physical activity in leisure time. Results Compared to individuals who did not report physical activity in leisure, we observed a 20% lower mortality risk among those who achieved less than the recommended minimum of 7.5 metabolic-equivalent hours per week (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.78-0.82], a 31% lower risk at 1 to 2 times the recommended lowest (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.67-0.70]), and a 37% lower risk at 2 to 3 times the lowest (HR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.62-0.65)). An upper mortality benefit threshold was reached at 3 to 5 times the recommended physical activity (HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.59–0.62]); however, the additional benefit was moderate (31% versus 39%). There was no evidence of injury at least 10 times the recommended minimum (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.59-0.78)). A similar dose response ratio was observed for mortality due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Conclusions and relevance Meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans minimally through either moderate- or powerful-intensity activities was associated with almost maximum service life benefits. We observed a benefit threshold of about 3 to 5 times the recommended leisure physical activity minimum and no excess risk at 10 or more times the smallest. In terms of mortality, health professionals should encourage adults who are not professionals to exercise physical activity in leisure time and not have to discourage adults who are already involved in high activity levels. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>
– Om du har gett upp fysisk aktivitet för att du inte har tid eller lust att uppnå rekommenderade veckovisa träningsnivåer, spänn fast dig på dina promenadskor: En ny studie i JAMA Internal Medicine visar att något är bättre än ingenting i termer av ökad livslängd. Forskare från National Cancer Institute tittade tillbaka på sex studier och fann individer som följde 2008 års riktlinjer för fysisk aktivitet på 150 minuter per vecka av måttlig intensitet aerobic motion-eller 75 minuter av kraftfull intensitet träning-uppnåt "väsentlig" nytta, medan de som fördubblade den baslinjen skördade "ytterligare" nytta, Reuters rapporterar. Men forskare gjorde också den betydande upptäckten att de som motionerade ens lite var 20% mindre benägna att dö än de som hukade ner sig på soffan med sina fjärrkontroller och gjorde ingenting. Forskarna undersökte 661.137 män och kvinnor (i åldrarna 21–98 år) som lämnade egna rapporter om sina fysiska aktivitetsnivåer; 116 686 dödsfall rapporterades bland dessa försökspersoner, per studien. De som uppfyllde riktlinjerna såg en 31% ökning i livslängd över sina icke aktiva motsvarigheter, medan deltagare som gjorde tre till fem gånger de rekommenderade nivåerna gjorde 39% bättre än stillasittande, LiveScience rapporterar. Intressant nog verkade inte motion utöver det ge ytterligare fördelar, men det verkade inte heller vara skadligt: Forskare fann ingen koppling mellan dem som arbetade upp till 10 gånger eller mer än riktlinjerna och ökad dödstal. En University of Florida åldrande specialist skriver i studiens åtföljande redaktion att "fysiker som söker upp den del av befolkningen som inte utför någon fritids-tid fysisk aktivitet skulle kunna få mest återbetalning i sin patients hälsa" om de rekommenderar ens en liten mängd motion. (Även en lunchdagspromenad kan få dig att må bättre.)
“If you have given up physical activity because you don’t have the time or desire to achieve recommended weekly training levels, buckle on your walking shoes: A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that something is better than nothing in terms of increased life expectancy. Scientists from the National Cancer Institute looked back at six studies and found individuals who followed the 2008 guidelines for physical activity of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise-or 75 minutes of powerful intensity training-achieved "essential" utility, while those who doubled that baseline reaped "further" benefit, Reuters reports. But scientists also made the significant discovery that those who exercised even a little were 20% less likely to die than those who crouched down on the couch with their remote controls and did nothing. The researchers examined 661,137 men and women (aged 21–98) who submitted their own reports of their physical activity levels; 116,686 deaths were reported among these subjects, per study. Those who met the guidelines saw a 31% increase in life expectancy over their non-active counterparts, while participants who made three to five times the recommended levels did 39% better than sedentary, LiveScience reports. Interestingly, exercise beyond that did not seem to bring further benefits, but it did not seem harmful either: Scientists found no connection between those who worked up to 10 times or more than the guidelines and increased death rates. A University of Florida aging specialist writes in the study's accompanying editorial that "physicists seeking out the part of the population that does not perform any leisure-time physical activity could receive the most reimbursement in their patient's health" if they recommend even a small amount of exercise. (Even a lunch day walk can make you feel better.)