Study shows regular exercise may lower risk of Covid infection, severity

If you exercise regularly, then there are chances you may have a lower risk of Covid-19 infection and severity, including hospital admission and death, finds a new study

fitness
IANS New York
2 min read Last Updated : Aug 23 2022 | 2:36 PM IST

If you exercise regularly, then there are chances you may have a lower risk of Covid-19 infection and severity, including hospital admission and death, finds a new study.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggests that a weekly tally of 150 minutes of moderate intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity, physical activity seems to afford the best protection.

"Our findings highlight the protective effects of engaging in sufficient physical activity as a public health strategy, with potential benefits to reduce the risk of severe Covid-19," said researchers, including Yasmin Ezzatvar from the Universitat de Valencia in Spain.

For the study, the team searched three major research databases for relevant studies published between November 2019 and March 2022, and from an initial haul of 291, pooled the results of 16.

The studies included 1,853,610 adults, just over half of whom (54 per cent) were women. The average age of participants was 53.

Most of the studies were observational and were carried out in South Korea, England, Iran, Canada, the UK, Spain, Brazil, Palestine, South Africa and Sweden.

The pooled data analysis showed that, overall, those who included regular physical activity in their weekly routine had an 11 per cent lower risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19.

They also had a 36 per cent lower risk of hospital admission, a 44 per cent lower risk of severe Covid-19 illness, and a 43 per cent lower risk of death from Covid-19 than their physically inactive peers.

The maximum protective effect occurred at around 500 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) minutes a week, after which there were no further improvements.

The researchers caution that the analysis included observational studies, differing study designs, subjective assessments of physical activity levels, and concerned only the Beta and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 rather than Omicron, all of which may weaken the findings.

--IANS

vc/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Coronavirusexercise and healthhealth newshealth habits

First Published: Aug 23 2022 | 2:36 PM IST

Next Story