Increasing the amount of moderate activity from less than three minutes per day to at least 14 minutes could reduce the risk of stroke by more than 40%, according to a new study.

Sedentism, whether sitting for extended periods or not moving for extended periods, has been linked to an increased risk of conditions ranging from heart disease to obesity, with the World Health Organization (WHO) stating that physical inactivity is a leading cause of disease and disability.

Researchers in the United States reported in the journal Jama Network Open how they analyzed data collected by activity trackers worn for up to seven days by 7,607 participants between 2009 and 2013.

“This study’s findings suggest that more time spent being physically active, especially at moderate intensities, and less time spent being sedentary, particularly in longer bouts, may help reduce the risk of stroke,” the authors said.

Separately, the researchers discovered that those who spent more than 13 of the 16 recorded hours a day sedentary had a 44 percent higher risk of stroke than those who spent less than 11.8 hours in this state.

“These results support recent clinical and public health guidelines encouraging people to move more and sit less to maintain cardiovascular health,” the team added.

It is worth mentioning that the study had limitations, such as the fact that each participant's data was only collected for a maximum of seven days.

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