This is how you should combine exercise to give your body years of life

MADRID, 13 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

We all know the multiple benefits of physical exercise: it helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces 'bad' cholesterol levels, strengthens bones, lowers blood pressure, improves mental health and reduces the risk of several chronic diseases, among others. others.

In this sense, the 2020 World Health Organization recommendations on physical activity advise at least between 150 (2 and a half hours) and 300 minutes (5 hours) per week of moderate aerobic physical activity -- brisk walking, running, riding by bicycle--, between 75 (1 hour and 25 minutes) and 150 minutes (2 hours and a half) per week of vigorous aerobic physical activity --intense dancing, sports such as swimming or volleyball practiced at an advanced level, among others- -, or an equivalent combination of physical activity of both intensities along with muscle strengthening for 2 days or more each week for adults.

However, the best weekly combination to reduce mortality from all causes, from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and from cancer is still unknown.

Now, a study led by University of Zaragoza researcher Rubén López-Bueno, published in 'JAMA Internal Medicine', has discovered the definitive exercise combination to reduce mortality from all causes, CVD and cancer in adults.

In total, 500,705 participants with a mean age of 46.4 years were included in the study. Compared with the reference group (no moderate or vigorous aerobic exercise and less than recommended muscle-strengthening activity), the category associated with the lowest hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was more than 0 to 75 minutes. (1 hour and 25 minutes) of aerobic activity combined with more than 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of vigorous aerobic exercise and 2 or more muscle-strengthening sessions per week.

The optimal combinations for reducing the risk of CVD and cancer mortality were more than 150 to 225 minutes (3 hours and 45 minutes) of moderate aerobic activity, more than 0 to 75 minutes of vigorous activity, and 2 or more muscle toning sessions per session. week, and more than 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate activity, more than 0 to 75 minutes of vigorous activity, and 2 or more muscle-strengthening sessions per week, respectively.

Adjusted mortality rates represented approximately 50 percent lower mortality for all-cause and cancer mortality and approximately 3-fold lower mortality for CVD mortality.

This prospective cohort study pooled publicly deidentified data from 22 consecutive rounds of the United States National Health Survey (NHIS; 1997-2018).

The NHIS is a nationally representative survey of the noninstitutionalized population in the United States and is conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, which also provides ethical clearance. of surveys and procedures for informed consent.

Briefly, personal surveys were conducted in households selected from random groups through a complex, multistage, stratified sampling procedure.

From an eligible sample of 646,201 participants, they excluded those with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, emphysema, or stroke at baseline. Those who did not have data or could not perform vigorous or moderate aerobic activity were also eliminated from the analyses.

In addition, individuals with missing data on covariates, including chronic conditions, functional limitations, marital status, education, alcohol use, smoking, and body mass index, were removed.

To avoid reverse causality bias, mortality results during the first 2 years of follow-up were excluded. Thus, the present study recovered data from a final cohort of 500,705 adults older than 18 years. The reporting guidelines of Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) were also followed.

Previous research in US adults had found that, for the same amount of moderate and vigorous physical activity, a higher proportion of vigorous activity was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, but not CVD or cancer mortality.

These previous studies also point to the existence of unique associations between different combinations of exercise with all-cause mortality. However, its implication in the decrease in mortality from CVD or cancer has been much less explored.