Light physical activities can help older adults live longer

Increasing physical activities in line with their body capabilities can lead to a much longer, healthier lives among older adults, suggests a new study.

The study was suggested by the preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2020.

"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, "said Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., past chair of both the American Heart Association's Council on Physical Activity and Metabolism and the National Advocacy Committee, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan and professor of internal medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Rochester, Michigan.

Franklin also suggested physical activities such as brisk walking that helps in managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol, improve glucose control among many benefits.

The research observed participants with an average age of 69 and found that physical activity doesn't have to be strenuous to be effective.

The researchers observed that each 30-minute interval of light-intensity physical activities - such as doing household chores or casual walking - was associated with a 20% lower risk of dying from any cause. Conversely, every additional 30-minutes of being sedentary was related to a 32% higher risk of dying from any cause.

"Promoting light-intensity physical activity and reducing sedentary time may be a more practical alternative among older adults," said Joowon Lee, Ph.D., a researcher at Boston University in Boston.

Women who walked 2,100 to 4,500 steps daily reduced their risk of dying from heart attacks, heart failure, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases by up to 38%, compared to women who walked less than 2,100 daily steps.

For the purpose of research, the team used an accelerometer to measure movement.