By CW Headley
Staying active during quarantine requires perseverance, first and foremost.
“The problem with at-home workouts is that you get distracted quite easily…TV, phone, dog barking, kids, things like that,” renowned personal trainer, Oscar Smith told Ladders at the start of shelter in place mandates. “I’ll just use what’s around us and maybe I’ll bring some bands depending on what my goal is for the client,”
However difficult, setting aside time for habitual physical activity is more than worth it.
A new cohort study published in JAMA Oncology emphasizes this in no uncertain terms.
In it, researchers from The University of Texas set out to define the relationship between sedentary behaviors and risk of cancer mortality in middle-aged and older US populations.
“Sedentary behavior is associated with several health outcomes, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Less is known about the association between objectively measured sedentary behavior and cancer mortality, as well as the association with physical activity,” the authors wrote in the paper’s introduction. “In this cohort study of 8002 adults, a greater amount of sedentary time was associated with a higher risk of cancer mortality. Replacing sedentary time with light- or moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity was associated with reduced cancer mortality risk.”
The participants, aged 45 years or older, were derived from a previously published analysis titled, The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study.
After collecting data from the initial report, the new study was conducted between April 18, 2019, and April 21, 2020.
Each participant was fitted with hip-mounted accelerometers for seven days so the authors could gauge sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LIPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA).
The results revealed that those who received the least physical activity day-to-day increased their risk of developing cancer by 82%.
“Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with LIPA was significantly associated with an 8% lower risk of cancer mortality; MVPA was significantly associated with a 31% lower risk of cancer mortality,” the authors added.
Even before quarantine, The American Heart Association reported an 83% increase in sedentary behavior since 1950.
The same risk assessment determined that physically active jobs make up less than 20% of the workforce, from the 50% recorded back in 1960.
Sobering numbers considering telework has further influenced these figures for the worse.
Once you get into a routine of habitual physical activity, it will feel less like an obligation.
Virologists are certain that going for runs, walks or cycle rides are safe so long as you maintain a distance of six feet between others and wear a cotton muslin mask.
If you are unable to leave your house as often as guidelines recommend, consider Ladders ultimate home workout guide.
“Replacing sedentary time with either LIPA or MVPA may be associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality. These findings suggest that the total volume of sedentary behavior is a potential cancer mortality risk factor and support the public health message that adults should sit less and move more to promote longevity,” the authors of the new study concluded. “The key finding for public health is that decreasing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity is associated with reducing the risk of cancer death in a cohort of adults aged 45+ years, in a study for a one-year period from 18 April 2019 to 21 April 2020.”
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