Octogenarians should walk 10 minutes a day to increase their life expectancy, according to a new study.
- According to specialists, the lack of activity in seniors generally leads to a weakening of the heart, an increase in its mass or even heart rhythm disorders.
- According to INSEE, life expectancy could increase to 86 years for men and 91.1 years for women by 2060.
A sedentary lifestyle is bad for your health, regardless of age. We have to move ! Seniors who are used to walking for at least an hour a week would thus have a better life expectancy than others, according to a study of Korean researchers, presented during the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiologywhich has been held since Friday in Barcelona, Spain.
“Adults are less likely to meet physical activity recommendations as they age”, laments the author of the study, Dr Moo-Nyun Jin. He adds : “Our study suggests that walking at least an hour a week is beneficial for people aged 85 and over. Put simply, be sure to walk 10 minutes every day.”
7,047 octogenarians
To arrive at this finding, the researchers analyzed the country’s health insurance database and compared the state of health of 7,047 adults aged 85 and over, who had followed a national screening program between 2009 and 2014. Participants first answered a questionnaire about their physical activity, specifically the amount of time spent each week on slow walking, moderate-intensity physical activity such as cycling or walking, or physical activity high intensity, like running.
Based on their results, the octogenarians were classified into five distinct groups. More than half of them (57.5%) did not walk at all, even slowly, 8.5% walked for less than an hour, 12% between one and two hours, and 8.7% between two and three hours. For 13.3% of participants, the bar of three hours of walking was exceeded. The time devoted to more intense physical activities was also observed.
Reduced risk of mortality
The scientists then analyzed the links between walking, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Result, people who walk at least one hour a week have a risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular, 40% lower than those who do not have this habit. Better : “Walking is linked to a lower likelihood of death in older people, whether or not they engage in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, explains Dr. Moo-Nyun Jin.
“Identifying the minimum amount of exercise that can benefit older adults is an important goal, as recommended activity levels can be difficult to achieve. […] The take-home message is to keep walking throughout life.”