Some people think they are active enough during their normal daily routine and don't necessarily need to exercise. But when it comes to stroke prevention, a new study from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden shows it's the exercise you do in your free time that determines the likelihood of you avoiding a stroke.
That may have not been the case a century or two ago when more people lived on farms and did more manual labor, but the increase in sedentary lifestyles as a result of the growth in knowledge workers requires more exercise to remain healthy.
"Physical activity during leisure time and as transportation is becoming increasingly important now that many jobs and domestic activities are becoming more sedentary," says lead author of the study Adam Viktorisson.
The study included 3,614 people from the Västra Götaland region in Sweden. The study participants had their physical activity tracked through survey and some were also given a pedometer to wear. Those who added exercise to their daily work routine or who walked or biked to work suffered fewer strokes than those who were less active.
A total of 269 people suffered strokes during the 20-year span of the study. Unfortunately, 120 either died or were dependent on help from others to carry out their daily living activities within three months of their stroke.
"How and when we carry out physical activity seems to play a crucial role in determining its health benefits. In our study, leisure time and transport related physical activities were associated with a lower risk of stroke, whereas activities during work time or in the household were not," Viktorisson said. "Physically demanding jobs are often linked to stress, little opportunity for recovery, air pollution and generally poorer socioeconomic conditions, which can counteract the positive effects of physical activity."
Researchers hope the study results will bring an awareness to the need for increased activity for stroke prevention.
"Encouraging people to be physically active in their daily lives, for example by walking, cycling and doing other types of exercise, can be an important strategy in reducing the number of strokes and improving the prognosis of people who suffer a stroke," Viktorisson said.