Less than an hour of weekly resistance exercise was associated with a 29% reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
According to a new study, lifting weights for less than an hour a week can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70 percent. Spending more than 60 minutes in a weight room does not provide additional benefits.
Join a gym
“People may think they need to spend a lot of time lifting weights, but just two sets under 5 minutes could be effective,” said Duck-chul Lee, professor of kinesiology and author of the research. He explains: “lifting any type of weight that increases muscular resistance is the key (…) My muscles do not know the difference if I am digging the garden, if I am carrying shopping bags or if I am I lift weights”, recommending however to register for a gym.
His results also show that the benefits of strength training are independent of those of running, walking or other aerobic activities. Lee and his colleagues analyzed medical data from nearly 13,000 adults, with an average age of 47. Were evaluated: cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke not causing death, all cardiovascular events including death and death from all causes combined.
The risk of hypercholesterolemia was 32% lower
“During a mean follow-up of 5.4 and 10.5 years, a total of 205 cases of cardiovascular disease (morbidity and mortality combined) and 276 deaths from all causes occurred,” the research states. Less than an hour of weekly resistance exercise has been associated with a 29% reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The risk of hypercholesterolemia was 32% lower.
WHO recommends adults aged 18-64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity endurance activity during the week. Another possible choice: an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity activity.
The proportion of physically active French women has fallen by 16%
In France, doctors can prescribe sport for six chronic diseases: overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stable coronary disease and stroke.
The latest data from the Esteban study conducted by Public Health France show that physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are gaining ground in the French population. One in five adults combines a high level of physical inactivity and a low level of physical activity, below WHO recommendations. Women are the most affected. In 10 years, the proportion of physically active French women has fallen by 16%. Physical inactivity was identified in 2009 as the fourth risk factor for non-communicable diseases, implicated in more than 3 million preventable deaths within France.
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