RESEARCH ROUND-UP
COVID
defence Researchers are calling for public health campaigns to highlight the importance of physical activity after new studies show a link between inactivity and a higher risk of COVID-19 complications
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First line of defence
The research found that 30-minutes of activity which gets people out of breath – such as walking, running, cycling and strengthening exercises – 84
Handbook 2021
five days a week (or 150-minutes per week) can have a massive impact on immunity to infectious diseases. Professor Chastin said this is the first piece of research which proves regular physical activity gives this protection: “The results show how physical activity strengthens the first line of defence of the human immune system by increasing the concentration of immune cells.” The team discovered regular exercise, where the individual gets out of breath, boosts immunity to infectious disease by 31 per cent, by boosting the mucosal layer of antibodies which are responsible for identifying foreign agents in the body. “We also found that if you add physical activity to your vaccination programme it increases the potency and effectiveness of the vaccination,” says Chastin. “A 12-week physical activity programme undertaken before the COVID-19 vaccination is given could result in 20 to 40 per cent more effective immunisation.”
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study by an international team of researchers, led by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), has found physical activity can reduce the chance of catching COVID-19 by 31 per cent, while boosting the effectiveness of vaccines by up to 40 per cent. Added to this, the team found physical activity could cut the risk of dying from infectious diseases by 37 per cent. Led by GCU’s professor of health behaviour dynamics, Sebastien Chastin, the study is believed to be the first in the world to look into the link between exercise and COVID-19 immunity. It is based on a systematic review of 16,698 worldwide epidemiological studies published between January 1980 and April 2020.
Campaigns needed
The research, titled Effects of regular physical activity on the immune system, vaccination and risk of community acquired infectious disease in the general population: Systematic review and meta-analysis – was published in the Sports Medicine journal. The findings have been sent to the Scottish Government and other governments, public health experts and www.HCMhandbook.com
