Walking for the bus can reduce the risk of diabetes and dementia

A study suggests that walking for the bus can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes and dementia.

Brief bouts of vigorous exercise, such as jogging for the bus, playing with children or climbing stairs, all have health benefits, according to researchers in China.

The study involved 96,408 people who participated in the UK Biobank study wearing a device that tracked their movement for a week.

The researchers used this measure to measure each person’s activity over the course of the week and the proportion of activity that was strong enough to make them suffocate.

Experts compared the data to the likelihood of dying or developing eight health conditions over a seven-year period. These include heart disease, irregular heartbeat, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, chronic lung conditions, chronic kidney disease, dementia and immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, including arthritis and psoriasis.

‘The body responds in powerful ways’

Research has found that people who devote most of their time to exercise, doing it vigorously, have a lower risk of all diseases.

Among those who participated in regular physical activity, the risk of dementia was 63 percent lower than among those who did not. Those who recorded this activity also had a 60 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 46 percent lower risk of death.

The benefits remain even if the time spent exercising is intense, the researchers suggest.

Minxu Shen, a professor at the Xiangya School of Public Health at Central South University in Henan, said: “Violent physical activity triggers specific responses in the body that low-intensity activity cannot fully replicate.

“During intense physical activity—the kind that makes you feel out of breath—your body reacts in powerful ways.

“Your heart pumps more efficiently, your blood vessels become more flexible, and your body’s ability to use oxygen improves.”

The study found that intensity was important for reducing the risk of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and psoriasis.

For other conditions such as diabetes and chronic liver disease, however, both timing and intensity of exercise were important.

Professor Shane added: “Exercise also appears to reduce inflammation. This may help explain why we have seen strong links with inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis and arthritis.

“It may also stimulate chemicals in the brain that help keep brain cells healthy, which could help explain the lower risk of dementia.”

‘Any increase in movement is still beneficial’

Professor Shane said people don’t need a gym membership to add vigorous activity to their day.

“Adding short activities that give you some breathing space into your daily routine, such as climbing the stairs, walking briskly between errands or playing actively with the kids, can make a real difference.” he said.

“Even 15 to 20 minutes of this type of effort per week—just a few minutes a day—was associated with significant health benefits.”

The NHS recommends that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.

However, Professor Shane said, his findings – published in the European Heart Journal – suggest that “the composition of this activity is important, and depends on what disease you are trying to prevent”.

“This could pave the way for personalized physical activity recommendations based on an individual’s specific health risks,” he added.

“Violent activity may not be safe for everyone, especially older adults or people with certain medical conditions. For them, any increase in movement is still beneficial, and activity should be tailored to the individual.”