Researchers Discover Simple Secret
By SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Researchers found that doing lighter-intensity daily activities
such as household chores can significantly reduce the risk of stroke.
Strokes can be extremely serious. According to the CDC 1 in 6 deaths from cardiovascular disease in 2020 was due to stroke. Furthermore, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke and every 3.5 minutes, someone dies of stroke. All told, about 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.
What can someone do to reduce their risk of stroke? Fortunately,
new research has a simple answer.
Imagine watching “The Batman” movie back-to-back four times every day or driving
a whopping 390 miles each way on a daily commute. Either uncomfortable choice
will take about 12 hours — or the same amount of time most Americans stay
seated throughout any day.
The dangerous consequences of prolonged inactivity in humans are widely known. Too much sitting leads to an increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, including depression. To offset the severe side effects of a sedentary lifestyle, doctors recommend adults complete at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise a week.
However, a new study from San Diego State University, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA Network Open, found that doing lighter intensity daily activities such as household chores can significantly reduce the risk of stroke.
“Light-intensity physical activity can include vacuuming, sweeping
the floor, washing the car, leisure strolling, stretching, or playing catch,”
said Steven Hooker, dean of SDSU’s College of Health and Human Services and
lead researcher of the cohort study.
“We observed that both physical activity and being sedentary
independently impacted stroke risk. Our research demonstrates that strategies
for stroke prevention should focus on both.”
Hooker and his research colleagues measured both the amount of
time participants were sedentary and the duration and intensity of physical
activity in 7,600 adults ages 45 and older and then compared the data to the
incidence of strokes in participants over seven years.
They found those who were sedentary for 13 hours or more a day had
a 44% increased risk of having a stroke.
“The findings are more potent because the activity and sedentary
behaviors were measured with an accelerometer, providing substantially more
accurate data than previous studies that relied on self-reported measures,”
said Hooker, a former coordinator of the California Active Aging Project with a
history of research into healthy lifestyles for older adults.
Study participants wore a hip-mounted accelerometer, a sensitive
motion detector that precisely recorded physical activity and the duration of
sitting and inactivity.
Even though smartphones and smartwatches valiantly attempt to
motivate Americans to move more, a shocking percentage of adults don’t exercise
enough. The CDC reports only 23% of U.S. adults meet the weekly recommendations for
aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
But, if 10,0000 steps a day or closing an exercise ring on your
watch seem out of reach, Hooker said getting up and doing even ten minutes of
light to moderate physical activity a few times throughout the day is an
effective strategy in reducing the likelihood of having a stroke.
“For overall heart and brain health, move more within your
capacity, and sit less,” said Hooker.
Reference: “Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Time
and Physical Activity With Risk of Stroke Among US Adults” by Steven P. Hooker,
PhD; Keith M. Diaz, PhD; Steven N. Blair, PED; Natalie Colabianchi, PhD; Brent
Hutto, MSPH; Michelle N. McDonnell, PhD; John E. Vena, PhD; Virginia J. Howard,
PhD, 3 June 2022, JAMA Network Open.
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15385
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the
University of South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina, and the
University of Michigan contributed to this study.
This study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Aging.
