30-Minute Exercise Helps Reduce Mortality Risk In Older Individuals

Get busy and get moving.

New findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that as little as 30 minutes a day can help older individuals live longer compared to those set in their sedentary ways.

During the study, researchers looked at 6,000 men who were between 60 and 70 years old and found that those who regularly engaged in 30-minute exercise six days per week had a 40 percent reduced risk of dying over a 12-year period when compared to those who were relatively sedentary.

Furthermore, findings revealed that while less than an hour of engaging in light activity did not significantly reduce death risk, vigorous exercise helped to reduce the risk of death from any cause by up to 37 percent.

Those with the most vigorous intensity activity lowered their risk by as high as 49 percent with men who engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise living close to five years longer when compared to sedentary counterparts.

"Increased physical activity was as beneficial as smoking cessation in reducing all-cause mortality," the researchers concluded. "Equally more time and resources should be used to advice on smoking cessation as well as increased degree of physical activity in the elderly."

However, they also noted that while the study is observational, the findings may not show a cause and effect relationship.