According to a large study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, regular exercise can reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 or developing a serious illness. This study supports a wealth of research highlighting the many health benefits of physical activity as the world searches for ways to live with Covid.
Main facts
- Including regular physical activity in weekly routines helps protect people against Covid-19, according to peer-reviewed analysis of 16 global studies including more than 1.8 million adults.
- Researchers found that getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week offered the best protection against Covid infection and serious illness.
- People who exercised regularly had an 11% lower risk of Covid infection and a 44% lower risk of serious illness than their physically inactive counterparts, the researchers said.
- Those who incorporated exercise into their weekly routine also had a 36% lower risk of hospitalization compared to those who did not, and a 43% lower risk of death from Covid.
- The data suggests that lower levels of exercise still offer some protection against disease.
- The researchers said these results could help policymakers and clinicians develop guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of Covid-19, while noting that the results could be weakened by the use of studies with research methods. different and by subjective evaluations of the activity. They also warned that the work only concerned the Beta and Delta variants of the coronavirus, and not the variants Omicron which dominate today.
The context
The fact that regular exercise offers protection against Covid-19 is not surprising. Exercise has been shown to boost the immune system and reduce the risk of catching viral infections like the common cold. Infected people tend to recover faster than their less active counterparts. Exercise also helps improve outcomes for people with conditions considered risk factors for Covid-19, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. A great deal of research also documents the many health benefits of physical activity and shows that it helps people live longer. A recent study suggests that getting 300 minutes of vigorous exercise per week or 600 minutes of moderate activity – four times more than current guidelines suggest – significantly reduces the risk of death.
Article translated from Forbes US – Author: Robert Hart
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