Everyday health

Thirty minutes a week of muscle work, not a day, is enough

Everybody talks about walking, but hardly anyone talks about strengthening the muscles.

A 2022 analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine from Tohoku University pooled 16 long-term studies, and adults who did muscle-strengthening exercise had a 10 to 17 percent lower risk of death, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, on top of walking or running.

The surprise is that the benefit was greatest at just 30 to 60 minutes a week, and doing more than an hour added little.

Honest note: this is observational data, a strong signal and not a guarantee. Do this: two 15-minute sessions a week of squats, wall push-ups or stairs, and ask your doctor first if you have a heart or joint problem.

Source — Br J Sports Med 2022;56(13):755-763, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai

The information in this issue is for general health awareness. It is not a substitute for your doctor's advice. Before starting any medicine, test or treatment, please see your doctor.

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