15 λεπτά άσκηση μέτριας έντασης την ημέρα ή 92 λεπτά την εβδομάδα μειώνουν κατά 14% τις πιθανότητες κινδύνων από όλες τις κατηγορίες ασθενειών.

Original Text

Σημείωση: με αφορμή το κάλεσμα του αντιπρύτανη Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας  Δρ. Θεοδωράκη Γιάννη στο 5ο Forum Φυσικής Αγωγής της ΕΑΦΑ στη Θεσσαλονίκη στις 31/3/2012 με θέμα "Η φυσική αγωγή στην κοινωνία της κρίσης".

Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study
Dr Chi Pang Wen MD a b Corresponding Author †Email Address, Jackson Pui Man Wai PhD c †, Min Kuang Tsai MS a b, Yi Chen Yang MS a b, Ting Yuan David Cheng MS d, Meng-Chih Lee MD e, Hui Ting Chan MS a, Chwen Keng Tsao BS f, Shan Pou Tsai PhD g, Xifeng Wu MD h

Summary

Background

The health benefits of leisure-time physical activity are well known, but whether less exercise than the recommended 150 min a week can have life expectancy benefits is unclear. We assessed the health benefits of a range of volumes of physical activity in a Taiwanese population.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, 416 175 individuals (199 265 men and 216 910 women) participated in a standard medical screening programme in Taiwan between 1996 and 2008, with an average follow-up of 8·05 years (SD 4·21). On the basis of the amount of weekly exercise indicated in a self-administered questionnaire, participants were placed into one of five categories of exercise volumes: inactive, or low, medium, high, or very high activity. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) for mortality risks for every group compared with the inactive group, and calculated life expectancy for every group.

Findings

Compared with individuals in the inactive group, those in the low-volume activity group, who exercised for an average of 92 min per week (95% CI 71—112) or 15 min a day (SD 1·8), had a 14% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (0·86, 0·81—0·91), and had a 3 year longer life expectancy. Every additional 15 min of daily exercise beyond the minimum amount of 15 min a day further reduced all-cause mortality by 4% (95% CI 2·5—7·0) and all-cancer mortality by 1% (0·3—4·5). These benefits were applicable to all age groups and both sexes, and to those with cardiovascular disease risks. Individuals who were inactive had a 17% (HR 1·17, 95% CI 1·10—1·24) increased risk of mortality compared with individuals in the low-volume group.

Interpretation

15 min a day or 90 min a week of moderate-intensity exercise might be of benefit, even for individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Funding

Taiwan Department of Health Clinical Trial and Research Center of Excellence and National Health Research Institutes.

(Πηγή: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960749-6/abstract)