Physical activity benefits for weight and pain

Research indicates that physical activity provides significant benefits for both weight management and pain relief. Regarding weight loss, guidelines suggest approximately 250 minutes of moderate activity per week, such as ‘slow jogging’ or ‘niko-niko’ jogging, to achieve results.

In terms of pain management, studies highlight that exercise can reduce both acute and chronic pain. A large-scale analysis involving over 220,000 to 270,000 participants suggests that low-intensity exercise may be more effective than moderate or high-intensity activity. Specifically, shorter programs of approximately 12 weeks, involving less than 120 minutes of activity per week, have shown significant results by promoting the release of endorphins and serotonin.

One analysis found that exercise reduced pain by an average of 1.1 points on a 10-point scale, an effect estimated to be approximately 60% more effective than common analgesics in certain chronic pain trials. However, researchers note that effectiveness depends on the cause of pain, individual physical condition, and program adherence.