Zantha Leatham Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Science
Updated 22:01 Aug 14, 2023, 23:24 Aug 14, 2023
Mowing your lawn doesn’t just keep your yard looking its best, it can also save your life.
Researchers claim that 1 in 10 premature deaths could be avoided by inactive people mowing the lawn for 11 minutes a day.
A short amount of moderate exercise each day, such as brisk walking, dancing, water aerobics, or gardening, may reduce the risk of premature death, heart disease, and cancer.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge said that 75 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (half the recommended amount) a week could reduce risk compared to no exercise.
Experts analyzed 196 research papers on the health benefits of exercise involving more than 30 million adults.
More exercise was associated with a lower risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
The researchers estimated that 1 in 10 premature deaths could be prevented if inactive people got at least 75 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
Using up to 2.5 hours per week further reduced the risk of premature death.
However, there was little additional benefit beyond 2.5 hours, and little additional benefit beyond 5 hours per week.
The NHS recommends at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
But Soren Blaze, one of the authors of the study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, said, “If you find the idea of exercising 2.5 hours a week daunting. For humans, our findings should be good news.” . ”