15-minute daily exercise boosts life

Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:3AM GMT

People who are engaged in just 15 minutes of moderate exercise per day may extend their life span by three years, a Taiwanese study suggests.

Scientists at Taiwan's National Health Research Institutes studied health records of 416,000 people for 13 years and compared it with the average amounts of their yearly exercise.

Their findings showed 15 minutes per day or 90 minutes per week of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking can cut the risk of death by 14 percent and extend life expectancy by three years compared with inactive people.

The study further found that the more people used to exercise the more they likely to live. Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise reduced all-cause death rates by 4 percent, the researchers wrote in the journal Lancet.

“It's for men, women, the young and old, smokers, healthy and unhealthy people. Doctors, when they see any type of patient, this is a one-size-fits-all type of advice,” said senior author Chi Pang Wen.

Based on previous findings, experts in World Health Organization (WHO) and many countries urge people to engage in at least a half-hour of moderate exercise most days of the week.

Health experts believe that when inactive people start moving even in low levels and for a short time, their fitness improves. This change brings them more motivation and strength to achieve their exercise goals much easier.

SJM/MMA