The hidden power of little effort: light physical activity reduces the risk of mortality

It is often heard that to maintain good health , you need to do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. These recommendations, which appear in public health guidelines around the world, have strong scientific support. However, what is not always mentioned is low-intensity or light physical activity, such as walking slowly, doing light housework, playing pool or bowling, or simply standing. Aren't these activities important for health? Is it essential to always do more intense activities to be healthy?

The answer is clear: light physical activity also provides great benefits. In 2020, the Canadian Movement Guidelines for Adults and Seniors were the first to officially recognize the benefits of light physical activity and recommended that adults accumulate several hours of this type of activity, including standing activities, each day. This recommendation was based on the findings of two meta-analyses that demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality risk in those who engaged in more light physical activity.

One of these studies, which included more than 36,000 men and women with an average age of 63 years, found that light physical activity is associated with a reduction in the risk of mortality in proportion to the amount performed: the more it is performed, the lower the risk of death. The other study concluded that doubling the time spent in light activities is associated with a 29% decrease in mortality risk.

A meta-analysis published in 2020, which included five studies with 10,151 participants, revealed two important findings on the relationship between light physical activity and cancer mortality. Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time a day with light physical activity reduced the risk of dying from cancer by 9%. Additionally, the reduction in cancer mortality risk with an additional 30 minutes of light physical activity was similar to that obtained with 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity (14% vs. 6%).

The benefits of light physical activity also occur in children and young people, which reinforces its importance at all ages. A recent study, from 2023, which followed children from ages 11 to 24, found that each additional minute per day of light physical activity was associated with a decrease in fat mass. These results highlight the benefits of light physical activity at any stage of life and underscore the importance of incorporating active play and other forms of light physical activity into the daily routine of children and youth, as recommended by the Canadian movement guidelines. for children and young people.

Overlooking the benefits of light physical activity is a missed opportunity to promote the health of the general population, and recognizing its importance has crucial implications for public health. Evidence suggests that replacing some of our sitting time with any type of light activity, such as taking a leisurely walk, walking the dog, or doing light housework —cooking, cleaning, washing dishes—can significantly improve our health. These activities offer fantastic opportunities for people who do not feel capable or unable to do more intense exercise, allowing them to stay active without needing to do more intense exercise.

Moderate or vigorous physical activity is essential for health, and its benefits are well documented. But it cannot be ignored that, for many people, carrying out this type of activity is not feasible or attractive . In fact, adults spend on average less than 2% of the day in moderate or vigorous physical activities. The rest of the time we spent mostly sitting or inactive. Therefore, it is important to understand that the whole day counts. Light activities give us endless opportunities to increase our physical activity during our waking hours.

Walking slowly, doing chores around the house, or simply standing instead of sitting may seem insignificant, but it has a positive impact. These small actions, accumulated throughout the day, offer countless opportunities to combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and increase our physical activity. Adopting these light routines is not only easier to maintain, but also allows us to be more active without great effort.

The current challenge is to integrate more movement into our lives , and light physical activity is a simple way to do this. As more people and healthcare professionals recognize its value, improving overall well-being will become more accessible and easier for everyone.

ENFÓRMATE is the EL PAÍS SALUD space where we will talk about those aspects related to physical activity, sports and physical and mental health. Physical activity and sport are part of the culture of all civilizations and play a fundamental role in the health of society at all levels, both physical and mental, at all ages, from childhood to old age, both in men as well as women. The Physical Activity and Sports Sciences have attempted to advance scientific knowledge about the importance of movement and physical exercise on the body, as well as the processes that explain why certain adaptations, modifications or changes occur at different times. levels (physiological, anatomical, motor, emotional or cognitive). For all these reasons, this space seeks to find scientific explanations that substantiate and justify the beneficial reasons for physical activity and sport. Likewise, it will try to discuss and refute certain myths or false beliefs that exist in society on specific topics of physical exercise and health.