That "to do" list of chores and errands could actually provide a variety of health benefits, according to researchers at the University of California. The study found that women over age 65 who engaged in regular light physical activity had a reduction in risk of mortality. The 6,000 women in the study, ages 65 to 99, were followed for up to four and a half years. They wore a measuring device, an accelerometer, on their hip for seven days as they went about their daily activities. The study found that 30 minutes of light physical activity per day reduced the risk of mortality by 12 percent, while an additional 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as cycling at a leisurely pace or brisk walking, showed a 39 percent lower risk.
The study also found that the benefit of light physical activity extended to all subgroups studied, including different ethnic backgrounds, obese and non-obese women, women with high and low functioning ability, and women who are older and younger than 80 years of age.
