In what may or may not be particularly surprising news, experts are now unveiling that light exercise could be the silver bullet in reversing high cholesterol levels, which are linked to increased heart attack risks. Scientists warn that increased inactivity from a young age can jack up cholesterol by a whopping two-thirds, setting the stage for cardiac issues and even an untimely demise.
However, new research highlights that a spot of walking or domestic chores could eliminate these dangers entirely, rendering medications like statins potentially unnecessary. Childhood high cholesterol has been notoriously tied to early signs of cardiovascular disease in later years, along with a heightened chance of dying prematurely from heart-related complications, reports Surrey Live.
The study points to light physical activity as possibly more potent than intense exercises when it comes to boosting health. Dr Andrew Agbaje, who spearheaded the pioneering study at the University of Exeter, remarked: “These findings emphasise the incredible health importance of light physical activity and shows it could be the key to preventing elevated cholesterol and dyslipidaemia from early life.”
According to the researcher, “We have evidence that light physical activity is considerably more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in this regard, and therefore it’s perhaps time the World Health Organisation (WHO) updated their guidelines on childhood exercise, and public health experts, paediatricians, and health policymakers encouraged more participation in light physical activity from childhood.”
He further stated: “Our research suggests light physical activity may be an unsung hero and it is about time the world replaced the mantra of ‘an average of 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity’ with ‘at least 3 hours a day of light physical activity’.”
The study found that light physical activity is up to five times more effective at promoting healthy hearts and lowering inflammation in young people, which challenges the WHO’s current recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. A study involving 792 children has revealed that sedentary time increased from around six hours a day to nine hours a day over a 13-year period.
The research, which used a device similar to a pedometer to measure activity levels at ages 11, 15, and 24 years, also found that light physical activity decreased from six hours a day to three hours a day. However, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity remained relatively stable at around 50 minutes a day from childhood until young adulthood.
Cholesterol levels were repeatedly measured at ages 15, 17, and 24 years, with the average increase in total cholesterol being 0.69 millimoles per litre (mmol/l). The study discovered that an average of four-and-a-half hours a day of light physical activity from childhood through young adulthood decreased total cholesterol.
Approximately 50 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity from childhood was also associated with slightly reduced total cholesterol (-0.05 mmol/L), but total body fat mass decreased the effect of this activity on total cholesterol by up to 48%.
Researchers found that increased sedentary time in childhood may contribute to a significant increase in cholesterol levels by the mid-twenties. According to Dr Agbaje, “Our study shows increased sedentary time in childhood may contribute to two thirds of the total increase in a person’s cholesterol levels before their mid-twenties. This suggests childhood sedentariness may be a major risk factor for elevated cholesterol and subsequent premature heart attack or stroke when individuals reach their mid-forties.”
The study, published in 2023, was a collaboration between the University of Exeter, University of Eastern Finland, and University of Bristol, using data from the University of Bristol’s Children of the 90s study (also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children).
