HHS HealthBeat (May 09, 2008)

Step it up

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Don’t take the elevator when you can take the stairs.  A study finds a relationship between not getting enough physical activity and increasing risk factors for chronic diseases.

Frank Booth of the University of Missouri and researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark examined active walkers who reduced their steps to 1,400 a day. Tests showed blood levels of sugar and fat went way up.

The study supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s call for people to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most if not all days. This can include things like taking stairs instead of elevators.

Booth advises:

“Add walking to their daily lifestyle. There is now definitive proof that less walking increases the risk factors for disease.” (6 seconds)

The study was in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May, 08 2008