Staying active during the day through light-intensity activities, such as housework, can contribute to healthy aging, which consists of reaching the age of 70 without mental health disorders, memory problems, physical disabilities and chronic diseases. The finding is part of the long-term Nurses’ Health Study published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital (USA) and institutions in China and Austria studied 45,176 people over 20 years. The aim was to assess how light physical activity impacts long-term health.

They found that spending two hours a day in front of the TV decreases the chance of healthy aging by 12%. On the other hand, two hours of low-intensity physical activity increased the chance of healthy aging by 6%. The research also revealed that only 8.6% of the participants achieved healthy aging at the end of their lives. 

The scientists pointed out that work is particularly important today because technology has changed the nature of work and leisure time. People are less active than previous generations throughout their lives and tend to move around even less as they get older, they said. The good news is that to age healthily, you don’t need a complex exercise plan, as almost any light activity will help.

“These findings indicate that physical activity does not need to be of high intensity to potentially benefit various aspects of health, which has especially important implications for public health, as older people tend to have limited physical capacity to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity,” said the authors.

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Source: Nurses' Health Study | JAMA Network | Valor Econômico