Housework Can Delay Death

Housework can delay death

Even light daily physical activity significantly reduces the risk of premature death. With an increase in activity to moderate for longevity, it is enough to exercise 24 minutes a day. Moderate activity includes brisk walking or just cleaning the house. This was proved by a British-Norwegian study.

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A new joint British-Norwegian study has shown that daily light physical activity, even such as routinely cooking or washing dishes, can significantly reduce the risk of early death. The study is published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The authors argue that people can improve their chances of longevity by simply moving more and sitting less.

Scientists at the Norwegian School of Sports Science have determined that mortality rates drop sharply as light physical activity increases. Every minute of this activity (only no more than five hours a day) provides additional health benefits. When the intensity of physical activity increases to a moderate level, it is enough to exercise only 24 minutes a day for an equally sharp decrease in mortality. Moderate physical activity can include brisk walking, vacuuming the house, or mowing the lawn.

On the other hand, the study authors found that sitting for 9.5 hours or more each day was associated with a significantly higher risk of death.

Scientists from the British University of Leicester also joined the study. They analyzed eight earlier work by colleagues of 36,383 adults over the age of 40 who wore trackers that measured their physical activity for an average of 5.8 years. During this period, 2,149 participants died and, according to the authors, they came to the conclusion that it is better to do something than to do nothing.

"Monitoring results show that physical activity of any intensity reduces the risk of death," says study author Dr. Charlotte Edwardson.

The doctor also noted that if you cannot reach the recommended level of moderate or vigorous physical activity, then you should "tinker more at work or around the house and just stand more on your feet."