CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes on how increasing physical activity reduces the risk of early death, and improves the quality of life and survival rate in persons with degenerative diseases.RESEARCHERS have made a major breakthrough in the search for secrets of healthy long life. They have, in recent studies, demonstrated how: 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week protect against chronic diseases and premature death, starting a solid exercise regime after the age of 50 could raise one's level of longevity to that of those who have been exercising regularly all along and structured exercise therapy was effective in enhancing physical functional indices of patients with type 2 diabetes.Nigerian researchers from the departments of physiotherapy, health, environmental education and human kinetics and medicine (endocrinology unit), University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State in a study published in Journal of Applied Sciences wrote: 'The findings in this study have established that structured exercise therapy had positive effects on the physical functional indices of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus by showing increased abilities in carrying out the tested parameters which are features of basic and instrumental activities of daily living.'This study therefore shows the need for structured exercise therapy to be considered as an important adjunct in the management of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus. This is with a view to enhance their physical functional ability, which is a correlation of total well being. It is also hoped that other diabetic-related complications can be prevented for the purpose of optimal well being and good quality of life through such structured exercise therapy for the diabetics.'The study is titled: 'Effects of structured exercise therapy on physical functional indices of patients with type 2 diabetes in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.'Another study published in International Journal of Epidemiology concluded: 'Any physical activity is better than none and even activities of daily life are associated with a survival benefit, but more and vigorous-intensity physical activity are associated with a larger reduction in all-cause mortality.'Nonetheless, sedentary adults should start with moderate-intensity physical activities and slowly increase weekly dose and intensity, because in sedentary adults vigorous-intensity physical activity is associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries and adverse cardiac events.'The researchers identified about 7,000 potentially relevant reports, of which a total of 80 cohort studies with more than 1.3 million study participants from Europe, Canada, United States and Asia fulfilled the strict inclusion criteria. At study onset participants had to be free of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. Study participants were followed up by a median of 11 years.Higher levels of physical activity were associated with reduced all-cause mortality, regardless whether in job, daily living, leisure or active transportation. However, the association was higher for leisure time physical activity and activities of daily living, and mortality reductions were more pronounced in women when compared with men.Meeting the World Health Organisation (WHOs) recommended level of 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity of daily life or during leisure was associated with a reduction in mortality risk by ten per cent. For vigorous exercise and sports the reduction in mortality risk was more than twofold higher (22 per cent).300 minutes (five hours) per week, this activity level is recommended for extended health benefits, were associated with a reduction in mortality risk by 19 per cent and 39 per cent for moderate-intensity activities of daily living, and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and sports, respectively. But even for lower levels than recommended by the WHO the researchers observed a significant survival benefit.Also, a Swedish study recently published in the British Medical Journal has given those who have reached or passed middle age hope and encouragement to begin a new healthy lifestyle, having discovered that starting a solid exercise regime after the age of 50 can raise one's level of longevity to that of those who have been exercising regularly all along.With the onset of middle and then old age, health, wellbeing and vitality deteriorate as the bodily engine begins to wear out, to some extent, this is an unavoidable process, part of the natural cycle of mortal existence. Yet, the truth is, due to degenerate lifestyle and dietary habits, human bodies are failing much faster than they should be. And, unfortunately, most people embrace age-correlated health decline too readily and easily, without realising that there is a lot more they can do to slow and even reverse the trend. The truth is, they can reverse the damage done earlier, and raise the level of health to that of those who have been living healthily throughout the years.The said exercise was a population-based cohort study carried out in the Swedish municipality of Uppsala. It had looked at 2,205 men, first surveying them from 1970 to 1973 when the men were 50 years old. The study subjects were categorised into four groups based on their level of physical activity - sedentary, low, medium or high, and they were followed up on at the ages of 60, 70, 77 and 82. The basic aim of the study was to find out how post-middle age changes in levels of physical activity affect mortality rates.Not surprisingly at all, the study team found that more physical activity translated to lower mortality rates - for those in the low, medium and high level groups, the absolute mortality rates were 27.1, 23.6 and 18.4 per 1,000 person years respectively.What was more significant was the researchers' discovery that those who raised their levels of physical activity while they were aged between 50 and 60 experienced improved mortality rates, reaching the rates of men who had all along carried out high levels of physical activity. This is certainly excellent news for late-starters.In fact, the reduction in mortality for those who increased their level of physical activity, as compared to those who continued to only carry out low levels of physical activity, was so pronounced that the study team found that it matched the effects of stopping smoking. With smoking being strongly associated with many dangerous diseases and premature death, this is a very significant comparison indeed.There is, however, a catch. The above-mentioned improvement in mortality rate was observed 10 years after the change in habit. For the first five years of follow-up, men who had raised their levels of physical activity continued to experience higher mortality, as compared to those who had carried out high levels of physical activity throughout the years. This suggests that a sustained period of regular physical activity (at least five years) would be necessary for the low level exercisers to 'catch up' with the high-level ones in terms of longevity.The researchers wrote: 'Increased physical activity in middle age is eventually followed by a reduction in mortality to the same level as seen among men with constantly high physical activity. This reduction is comparable with that associated with smoking cessation.
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