Regular exercise will help you lower bacterial infection risk, says study

Low or moderate levels of physical activity may significantly lower your risk of bacterial infections as compared to a sedentary lifestyle, a new study has claimed.

Low or moderate levels of physical activity may significantly lower your risk of bacterial infections as compared to a sedentary lifestyle, a new study has claimed. The risk of viral infections is known to be affected by physical activity, but little information was available regarding the more serious infections caused by bacteria.

Study results suggest that compared with sedentary behaviour, low leisure-time physical activity was associated with a 10% lower risk of any suspected bacterial infection. (Shutterstock, AFP)

Researchers, including those from Aalborg University in Denmark, examined the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and suspected bacterial infections during a one-year follow up. Suspected bacterial infections were determined based on prescriptions for antibiotics.

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Results showed that compared with sedentary behaviour, low leisure-time physical activity was associated with a 10% lower risk of any suspected bacterial infection. Further, low and moderate levels of leisure-time physical activity were associated with a 21% and 32% reduction of suspected cystitis (urinary tract bacterial infections), respectively -- compared with individuals classified as sedentary, researchers said.

Suspected respiratory tract bacterial infections, however, were not associated with physical activity level, they said.