"You dont have to break a sweat to reap the health benefits of physical activity according to new research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society httponlinelibrary.wiley.comdoi.jgs.abstract. In a study of women age  and older just  minutes a day of light exerciselike running errands and cleaning the housewas linked to a lower risk of death.  Moderateintensity exercise like leisurely bike riding or brisk walking was associated with an even greater reduction in risk. The authors say that improving doing more light and moderate physical activity could be almost as effective as rigorous exercise at preventing disease and prolonging life. The paradigm needs to shift when we think about being active says senior author Andrea LaCroix professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego.  For the study LaCroix and her colleagues asked  women ages  to  to wear activitytracking accelerometers for seven days as they went about their daily activities. The women were then followed for an average of three years. Based on the data from the womens activity trackers the researchers found that those who got at least  minutes of light physical activity a day were  less likely to die compared to those who got less. Those who got an additional  minutes of moderate activity were  less likely to die.  Light physical activity includes just about any type of behavior that isnt sitting down walking to the mailbox strolling around the neighborhood and doing laundry. Activities like these account for more than  of older adults daily activity says LaCroix so the fact that they were protective in this study is very good news.  Weve always been told that this type of activity isnt enough to do you good says LaCroix. But what we have here is solid evidence that light physical activity reduces a womans risk of dying over the next three to four yearsand we see the benefits are substantial and independent of moderatetovigorous physical activity.  MORE TIMEs Guide to Exercise httptime.comcollectionguidetoexercise The study could not show a causeandeffect relationship between activity level and risk of death only an association. But the link was present in all types of women in the study including those of all races and ethnicities women who were obese and those who were not women with high and low functional abilities and women older and younger than .  As adults get older they expend more energy doing the same activities they did when they were younger LaCroix saysso they dont need to exercise as much or as intensely to burn the same amount of calories or get their heart rate up. We know that people of different ages need different amounts and intensities of exercise to get the same result she says. Its not one size fits all.  But national guidelines still recommend that adults over age  follow the same guidelines as younger people to get at least  minutes of moderatetovigorous physical activity per week. And recent analyses compiled from studies in which adults selfreported their levels of physical activity have suggested that older adults have to log moderatetovigorous exercise in order to reduce their risk of early death.  LaCroix says her new study refutes that research and shows that older adults can still benefit at levels below the moderatetovigorous guidelines. Questionnaires used in selfreported studies dont do a good job of encompassing all the ways people get physical activity throughout the day she says which may have skewed previous study results. What makes our study stronger than those others is that we used a device that was able to measure all of the movements we do in our daily lives she says. The researchers hope their work sparks more discussion about how peopleespecially older onesthink about exercise and their goals for being active. I think the current guidelines are discouraging to older people who dont believe they can do  minutes of hard exercise LaCroix says. They throw up their hands and think thats not for me. But everyone does light physical activity and the idea that doing more of it can have substantial health benefits should be welcome news."