By Shannin Prather
January 2019 | 2019 Winter Newsletter
Seven minutes: the time needed for a pot of coffee to brew or two songs to play on the radio. Seven minutes may also help retain mobility and independence as you age.
A recent study by the University of Florida (UF) and around the nation shows that just seven minutes of moderate walking or other exercise each day— or 48 minutes per week — can improve physical functioning for older adults and prevent major mobility decline.
The journey from nothing to a few minutes of moderate exercise daily, Marco
Pahor, M.D., Director of the UF Institute on Aging said, actually bridges a huge gap. “There is a huge difference,” he said, “between doing nothing and doing just a little. People may say, ‘Well, doing this little can’t mean much.’ But it does. It means a great deal.”
An earlier study by the University of Florida found that moderate physical activity caused the research subjects to retain their ability to walk at a rate 18 percent higher than older adults who did not exercise. People reported gaining more ability to walk easily.
The newer study examined the question: what is the minimum amount of exercise where participants experience a significant benefit?
Seven minutes daily— the time it takes to read a couple pages in a book.
Researchers, of course, note that there is no need to stop at seven minutes. “The more you do,” Pahor said, “the more you benefit.”
Seven minutes: the time needed for a pot of coffee to brew or two songs to play on the radio. Seven minutes may also help retain mobility and independence as you age.
A recent study by the University of Florida (UF) and around the nation shows that just seven minutes of moderate walking or other exercise each day— or 48 minutes per week — can improve physical functioning for older adults and prevent major mobility decline.
The journey from nothing to a few minutes of moderate exercise daily, Marco Pahor, M.D., Director of the UF Institute on Aging said, actually bridges a huge gap. “There is a huge difference,” he said, “between doing nothing and doing just a little. People may say, ‘Well, doing this little can’t mean much.’ But it does. It means a great deal.”
An earlier study by the University of Florida found that moderate physical activity caused the research subjects to retain their ability to walk at a rate 18 percent higher than older adults who did not exercise. People reported gaining more ability to walk easily.
The newer study examined the question: what is the minimum amount of exercise where participants experience a significant benefit?
Seven minutes daily— the time it takes to read a couple pages in a book.
Researchers, of course, note that there is no need to stop at seven minutes. “The more you do,” Pahor said, “the more you benefit.”