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Science shows us that being physically active helps us feel better, and prevents or slows many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and dementia. It even helps us live longer. For these reasons, the US physical activity guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly. Now, a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that routine activity may help protect people who get COVID-19 from becoming seriously ill.
Exercise as a vital sign
Healthcare providers at Kaiser Permanente, a large health care system in California, routinely ask all of their patients two simple questions about their physical activity. Together, they are called the “Exercise Vital Sign.”
- On average, how many days per week do you engage in moderate to strenuous exercise (like a brisk walk)? The answer choices are 0 to 7 days.
- On average, how many minutes do you engage in exercise at this level? The answer choices are 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, 150 or greater minutes.
Research shows these questions measure people’s activity levels pretty well. They also predict some medical problems, such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Many health issues that are well associated with a lack of physical activity — such as overweight, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — are also associated with greater risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. But few studies directly investigated lack of physical activity as a possible risk factor.
How was this study done?
Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage in parts of the world, it is slowly retreating in the U.S. There are now three FDA-authorized vaccines, including one for children as young as 12. The vaccines are proving to be nearly as effective in the real world as they were in clinical trials. The CDC has relaxed some prevention measures, particularly for people who are fully vaccinated, and especially outdoors. Meanwhile, scientists continue to explore treatments and to keep an eye on viral variants.
