Being Physically Active May Help Decrease Time Spent in the Hospital

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. According to a recent study, adults who are physically active may have lower future hospitalizations and spend less time in the hospital if they are admitted.

Participants in the study included 25,639 adults with an average age of 60 who took part in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer in Norfolk. They completed a questionnaire that evaluated occupational and leisure time activity levels. They were classified as inactive, moderately inactive, moderately active, or active. Participants were followed for an average of 10 years and all hospital visits and lengths of stay were recorded.

Participants who were classified as active were 25% less likely than inactive participants to have more than 7 hospital admissions per year or spend more than 20 days yearly in the hospital. Participants who had any level of physical activity spent fewer days in the hospital than those who were inactive.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge. It was published online ahead of print on May 6, 2020 in the journal BMC Geriatrics.