Extended Exercise Recommendations for South Asian Men Recent research proposes that men of South Asian descent may need to engage in physical activity for approximately 20 minutes longer per day compared to white European males. Conventional guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, akin to brisk walking for 30 minutes five days a week. However, a study conducted by the University of Glasgow's Institute for Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences indicates that South Asian men might need around 250 minutes of moderate physical activity per week to achieve similar health benefits.

The study involved 75 South Asian and 83 European men, aged 40 to 70, with their physical activity monitored over a week using motion-sensing devices. Risk factors for heart disease and diabetes were assessed by measuring sugar, insulin, fat levels in the bloodstream, and blood pressure.

Results reveal that South Asian men may require higher levels of physical activity than their white European counterparts to exhibit a comparable risk profile for heart disease and diabetes. This suggests a potential need to revise physical activity guidelines to consider ethnic variations in disease risk, challenging the current universal recommendations.

Dr Jason Gill, who led the study, noted, 'While this would be a new suggestion for physical activity guidelines, the concept of ethnic-specific public health guidelines has already been adopted for obesity.' He highlighted the recent recommendation by the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) that Asians should achieve lower body mass index (BMI) levels than Europeans for diabetes prevention.

Dr Nazim Ghouri emphasized that South Asians, constituting 20% of the world's population, have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Despite increased diabetes and heart disease risks, South Asians in the UK appear to be less active than their white European counterparts. The study advocates for ethnicity-specific physical activity guidelines to better address health disparities, as published in the medical journal PLOS ONE.