Research Summary: Physical inactivity may be the greatest threat to health in the 21st century | Mayo Clinic

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Article highlights:

* Considerable evidence suggests that physical inactivity may be the greatest threat to health in the 21st century.

* Substantial evidence indicates that low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness may be one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

* Runners typically perform vigorous physical activity and have
high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness.

* We reviewed data that indicate that running has benefits in the prevention of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and hip replacement, benign prostatic hypertrophy, respiratory disease, cancer, and disability.

* Running, even in quite low doses, is associated with a substantial reduction in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

* High doses of running (eg, marathons) have the potential for cardiotoxicity, although these risks are relatively low.

* Maximal health benefits of running appear to occur at quite low doses, well below those suggested by the US physical activity guidelines.

MoBikefed comment: Other highlights from the article:

* Running just 10 minutes (average) per day has a very significant health benefit over no exercise at all

* A 5-minute run generates the same benefits as a 15-minute walk, and a 25-minute run is equivalent to a 105-minute walk.

The article doesn't address bicycling specifically, but presumably all similar cardiovascular exercise provides similar benefits; if you do a higher intensity exercise you need shorter time periods but a low intensity exercise can have the same benefit if you simply continue for a longer period.

In short, this is all very good news whatever type of exercise you prefer, and whether you prefer to go short and hard or long and easy.

Link: 

Research Summary: Physical inactivity may be the greatest threat to health in the 21st century | Mayo Clinic