Walking briskly, exercising, going to the pool. These are all activities that can help seniors stay healthy. However, household chores can also make a valuable contribution, particularly against cardiovascular diseases. This is indicated by the study coordinated by the University of California at San Diego, which estimated a 62% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease among women who perform 4 hours a day of activity, including domestic ones.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, was conducted on more than 5,000 American women between the ages of 63 and 97 who had no heart disease at the start of the study. Participants wore an accelerometer to quantify time spent on the move. The analysis aimed above all at evaluating which types of common life actions, often not considered in studies, translate into physical movement and showed that even standing still, for example while washing dishes, is good for the health.
The study therefore made it possible to verify that women who perform at least 4 hours of activity each day, compared to those who perform less than two, had a 43% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 43% lower risk of coronary heart disease. , a 30% lower risk of stroke and a 62% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
“We have shown that all movements matter for disease prevention,” said one of the study’s authors, Steve Nguyen, of the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health. “Understanding the benefits of activity from simple daily actions and adding them to physical activity guidelines can encourage seniors to keep moving,” echoed co-author Andrea LaCroix, of the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health.
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