Listen up, couch potatoes: Health researchers have found the perfect use for commercial breaks.
A new study, published this week by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that just 20 minutes of exercise per day could reduce an individual's risk of premature death by up to 30 percent.
If that's not reason enough for a few push-ups while the car ads play, what is?
"This is a simple message: Just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive," said Ulf Ekelund, one of the study's co-authors, to Time.
Researchers followed the activity levels and health outcomes of 334,161 Europeans over 12 years, determining that a daily 20-minute walk (or any activity that burns 90 to 110 calories) offered a measurable boost to life expectancy, regardless of whether a participant was of normal weight, overweight or obese.
By eliminating inactivity, Europe could cut mortality rates by nearly 7.5 percent, or 676,000 deaths, BBC News reported. Eliminating obesity would only reduce rates by 3.6 percent.
Jesse Singal at New York Magazine noted that even 20 minutes of exercise a day might be a daunting task for some people, especially when it takes less energy to avoid a doughnut or other special treat.
"Calorie-centric views of healthy living sometimes end up downplaying the importance of exercise, since there's a pretty big mismatch, effort- and self-restraint-wise, between calories burned and calories eaten," she wrote. "It takes about 20 minutes to walk a mile and burn 100 calories or so, which is equal to one or two bites of a buttered roll that can be scarfed down in 15 seconds."
And diet plans like Atkins or Weight Watchers get more attention in the media, making consistent walks around the block a less glamorous experience.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise seems to be growing in popularity, a trend that should be boosted by the new research.
"More than 145 million adults now include walking as part of a physically active lifestyle," the CDC reported.
A new study, published this week by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that just 20 minutes of exercise per day could reduce an individual's risk of premature death by up to 30 percent.
If that's not reason enough for a few push-ups while the car ads play, what is?
"This is a simple message: Just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive," said Ulf Ekelund, one of the study's co-authors, to Time.
Researchers followed the activity levels and health outcomes of 334,161 Europeans over 12 years, determining that a daily 20-minute walk (or any activity that burns 90 to 110 calories) offered a measurable boost to life expectancy, regardless of whether a participant was of normal weight, overweight or obese.
By eliminating inactivity, Europe could cut mortality rates by nearly 7.5 percent, or 676,000 deaths, BBC News reported. Eliminating obesity would only reduce rates by 3.6 percent.
Jesse Singal at New York Magazine noted that even 20 minutes of exercise a day might be a daunting task for some people, especially when it takes less energy to avoid a doughnut or other special treat.
"Calorie-centric views of healthy living sometimes end up downplaying the importance of exercise, since there's a pretty big mismatch, effort- and self-restraint-wise, between calories burned and calories eaten," she wrote. "It takes about 20 minutes to walk a mile and burn 100 calories or so, which is equal to one or two bites of a buttered roll that can be scarfed down in 15 seconds."
And diet plans like Atkins or Weight Watchers get more attention in the media, making consistent walks around the block a less glamorous experience.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise seems to be growing in popularity, a trend that should be boosted by the new research.
"More than 145 million adults now include walking as part of a physically active lifestyle," the CDC reported.
