Numerous studies have shown that exercise can benefit the body and findings of a new study add to the list of evidence that show exercise can help prevent diseases.
Data from Flusurvey, the online flu study conducted by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the U.K., suggest that exercise can help reduce flu risks. Moderate exercise such as fast walking, light jogging or cycling, however, won't give the best results.
When researchers analyzed how different types and intensities of exercise can affect a person's likelihood of catching flu, they found that engaging in at least two and a half hours of vigorous exercise per week can reduce a person's chances of catching flu by 10 percent which means that while moderate exercise can still be beneficial, it does not provide as much benefit in reducing flu risks as engaging in intense exercise such as running and fast cycling or getting involved in competitive sports such as rugby and football for no shorter than two and a half hours in a week.
"We need to treat this result cautiously as these are preliminary findings. However, they are consistent with findings for other conditions and really show the health benefits of exercise," said Flusurvey researcher Alma Adler from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "Although many people have dodged the flu bullet this winter, flu can occur at any time, so taking advantage of the better weather is a great opportunity to get out and get fit to ward off flu this spring."
The study, which involved more than 4,000 participants, also found that the number of children in the U.K who exhibit flu-like illness was down from 7.9% last year to 5% this year.
"Flu levels are still very low but where there are flu cases, we're seeing most of them among under-18s. This is in line with what we already know from previous years about children being the 'key spreaders' of flu. Flu cases usually dip during the school holidays, so we may see even lower levels of people reporting influenza-like illness over the festive season," Adler said.
Flu is a contagious disease characterized by muscle pain, runny nose, sore throat, cough, chills and fever. Although its symptoms appear similar to common cold, flu is more severe and may also cause nausea and vomiting. The disease is transmitted though contact with nasal secretions and contaminated surfaces.
