Scientists from Central South University found that intense physical activity reduces the risk of death and a number of serious diseases not only from long-term activity. The results were published in the European Heart Journal (EHJ).
96,000 people participated in the study. Participants wore accelerometers on their wrists for a week. This allowed the scientists to record not only their overall physical activity level, but also short periods of intense exercise, such as brisk running or stair climbing, when breathing becomes more labored.
The researchers then compared this data with the risk of developing eight diseases and dying over the next seven years. These include cardiovascular disease, heart rhythm disorders, type 2 diabetes, chronic liver, kidney and lung diseases, inflammatory diseases and dementia.
It found that people who exercised more frequently had a significantly lower risk of developing all of these diseases. Compared to participants who did almost no such activity, they had a 63% lower risk of dementia, a 60% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 46% lower risk of premature death.
Furthermore, activity intensity played an important role in some diseases. For example, the degree of activity was more important than the duration of exercise in reducing the risk of inflammatory diseases, including arthritis and psoriasis.
According to scientists, intense exercise causes a stronger physiological response in the body. During such activity, the heart works more efficiently, blood vessels become more elastic, oxygen utilization improves, and inflammation levels decrease.
Scientists note that even short periods of intense activity in everyday life, such as running fast to the bus or climbing the stairs, can bring significant health benefits.
