Taking a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise a day can extend life expectancy by up to three years, according to Germany’s Society of Neurologists and the Stroke Society.
A regular program of exercise can reduce the risk of stroke, cardiovascular illness, cancer and diabetes. The advice is based on a study of over 400,000 participants in Taiwan whose health status was checked regularly over eight years.
The study discovered that 15 minutes of exercise a day made a surprising contribution to improving overall health. The mortality rate for those who took the exercise was 14 per cent lower than the inactive participants.
Extrapolating the results over 30 years resulted in a projected extended life expectancy of three years as well as a reduced chance of developing cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system. The conclusion was that the more a person exercises the less chance they have of falling ill.
The recommended 15 minutes a day is half what the World Health Organisation advises people to take.