The long-accepted advice in the scientific world of “move more, sit less” is being replaced by a more specific approach. A study published in the European Heart Journal revealed that even a small portion of daily movement being converted into “high intensity” significantly reduces the risk of eight different chronic diseases.
“Elchi” reports that researchers tracked the movements of approximately 470,000 people over 9 years using data from the UK Biobank.
The results showed that people who dedicated only 4 percent of their total physical activity to high-intensity exercise were healthier than those who did not exercise at all. The surprising risk reductions provided by high-intensity exercises are as follows:
Dementia: 63%
Type 2 diabetes: 60%
Fatty liver disease: 48%
Risk of death (All causes): 46%
Chronic respiratory diseases: 44%
Chronic kidney disease: 41%
Immune system diseases: 39%
Cardiovascular events: 31%
Atrial fibrillation (Heart rhythm disorder): 29%
What does “high intensity” mean?
The easiest way to determine if an activity is high-intensity is the **”talk test”**.
If you can form full sentences while exercising, you are at low or moderate intensity.
If you are out of breath and can only say a few words, this is a high-intensity activity.
Running, cycling, climbing stairs quickly, or carrying heavy shopping bags can fall into this category.
How to integrate this into daily life?
Experts emphasize that you don’t need to be a professional athlete to reap these benefits. Even a few minutes of intense effort per day will make a difference:
Short bursts: Climb stairs quickly instead of taking the elevator.
Brisk walking: Speed up your steps when going to work or the market.
Interval training: During walking or swimming, increase your pace to the maximum for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then slow down.
The concept of “intensity” varies based on individual physical fitness, especially for the elderly or those with limited mobility. For these individuals, even standing up and sitting down from a chair quickly can be considered a high-intensity activity.
It is recommended to consult a doctor before starting any new program.
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