Fidgeting, housework help heart

KINGSTON, Ontario, June 29 (UPI) -- School teachers may not like fidgeting but Canadian researchers say fidgeting at a desk contributes more to cardiorespiratory fitness than many think.

Lead researcher Ashlee McGuire, a graduate student, and Robert Ross, a professor, at the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, found both the duration and intensity of incidental physical activities are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness.

The study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found the intensity of the activity seems to be particularly important, with a cumulative 30-minute increase in moderate physical activity throughout the day offering significant benefits for fitness and long-term health.

"It's encouraging to know that if we just increase our incidental activity slightly -- a little bit more work around the house, or walking down the hall to speak with a co-worker as opposed to sending an e-mail -- we can really benefit our health in the long-term," McGuire said in a statement. "Best of all, these activities don't take up a lot of time, they're not difficult to do, and you don't have to go to a gym."

McGuire and Ross define incidental physical activities as those accrued through daily living, such as doing housework, climbing stairs or walking around the office.

The activity levels of the study's participants -- none met Canada's physical activity guidelines and were engaging solely in incidental physical activity -- were gauged using an accelerometer, which measures the duration and intensity of movement.