30 minutes of exercise a day is essential for heart health, says AHA
Posted on: 17/Aug/2016 7:53:50 AM
The AHA, or American Heart Association, has released a new statement that says that people should get about 30 minutes of exercise each day to counteract the potentially harmful effects of being inactive for too long. The statement says that research suggests inactivity may be linked to increased risk for diabetes, other blood sugar problems, heart disease, stroke and an earlier death. The statement was published in the journal Circulation.
Speaking about this, the AHA committee said, Be conscious of how much time you`re spending sitting, and try to move more. At least when youre at home, try not to sit on the couch the whole time.
Data collected through health surveys suggest that adults spend an average of six to eight hours a day inactive, or sedentary. People over age 60 spend up to an average of 10 hours a day sedentary. There could be a number of explanations for people being sedentary. Evidence suggests that people with mental health issues may spend a larger amount of time inactive, for example. Additionally, there may be a genetic component to people being sedentary. There is also evidence that inactivity is a risk factor for a number of health conditions, and that taking breaks from being inactive may be protective of health. Most of the existing studies of inactivity show a link between times spent being sedentary and an increased risk of diabetes, for instance. Several studies also show a link between sedentary time and heart disease.
Experts in the field say, Getting people who are mainly inactive to move just a bit can likely lead to big gains in health. Just encouraging people to do a little bit can make a big difference. For example, people could get up and walk around their building every hour. Motivating people to go from sedentary to physically active is a good focus.
