Light-intensity exercise could prove beneficial to older adults, new research shows

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/osu-lec061015.php

Public Release: 10-Jun-2015
Oregon State University

An easy walk, slow dancing, leisurely sports such as table tennis, household chores and other light-intensity exercise may be nearly as effective as moderate or vigorous exercise for older adults - if they get enough of that type of activity.

New research indicates that 300 minutes a week of light exercise provides some significant health benefits for people over age 65, said Brad Cardinal, a professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University.

'You get a nice array of health benefits by doing five hours of light physical activity per week,' said Cardinal, who is a national expert on the benefits of physical activity and a co-author of the study. 'There appears to be some real value in devoting at least three percent of the 168 hours available in a week to these light forms of physical activity.'

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They found that older adults who participated in light intensity exercise activities for 300 minutes or more were 18 percent healthier, overall, than peers who did not log that much light activity. They had lower body mass index (BMI), smaller waist circumference, better insulin rates and were less likely to have chronic diseases, Cardinal said.

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'This research suggests that doing something is dramatically better than doing nothing,' he said. 'For the average, every day person, that is a much more palatable message than the current guidelines that emphasize moderate to vigorous exercise.'