22 Minutes of Daily Exercise May Offset Increased Mortality Risk From Extended Sitting, Study Finds

Study indicates that adults who engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 22 minutes a day, such as brisk walking or cycling, can counter the increased risk of premature death from sedentary behavior.

A study shows that 22 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity can offset the increased mortality risk from extended sitting. This includes exercise such as brisk walking or cycling.
The research analysed the activity of 12,000 adults aged 50 and over from Norway, Sweden, and the US, over an average of five years. They discovered people sedentary for 12 hours or more per day had a 38% higher risk of dying than those who sat for eight hours.
However, this increased risk was only present in participants who did not engage in at least 22 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Light physical activity only lowered the risk of death in people who were extremely sedentary, sitting for more than 12 hours.
The study aligns with guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), which suggests adults should engage in at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. The research suggests just over 150 minutes is enough to reduce the risk of death.
Activities that constitute moderate to vigorous exercise include brisk walking, cycling, hiking, water aerobics, pushing a lawnmower, running, swimming, cycling fast or uphill, playing team sports, and walking up the stairs.