How Can You Live Longer & Healthier; Walk for 30 Minutes A Day
This could be very good news for Seniors who actually take up the challenge and walk. According to an article in studyfinds.org there are two news studies that show that being active as a senior citizen is the best way to live a longer and healthier life.
There is even a Michigan connection. Barry Franklin is a professor of internal medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Rochester, Michigan, in a release by the American Heart Association he said:
Finding a way to physically move more in an activity that suits your capabilities and is pleasurable is extremely important for all people, and especially for older people who may have risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Physical activities such as brisk walking can help manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol, improve glucose control among many benefits
One of the study participants had an average age of 69. The study found that just 30 minutes of light-intensity activity (household chores, walking) was associated with a 20% lower risk of dying from any cause.
A researcher at Boston University Jolson Lee, Ph.D. said:
Promoting light-intensity physical activity and reducing sedentary time may be a more practical alternative among older adults
The study included 1,262 people, with 54% being female. According to the article:
each person was asked to wear an activity tracking device for at least 10 hours a day, at a minimum of four days a week from 2011-2014. All participants were caucasian, so it’s unclear if these results are accurate regarding other races.
Why would they only include white people is beyond me and certainly deserves an answer.
According to the second study, the women in the study found that walking even more than 4,500 steps per day saw their risk of death drop an additional 10%.
According to the article, these studies are going to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention / Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2020