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One Hour of Exercise Every Day Could Save Your Life

The bad news: Sitting at your desk all day increases your risk of early death. The good news: Exercising at least one hour every day could offset that risk, according to expansive new research.

In the four-paper series published Wednesday in The Lancet, researchers analyzed data from more than 1 million people spanning 16 studies. They found that those who spent eight hours a day sitting but exercised for an hour daily -- like taking a brisk walk at about 3.5 miles per hour or biking at about 9.9 miles per hour -- offset the increased risk of death linked with high sitting time. The findings highlight the importance of physical activity, regardless of how much time you spend on a chair each day.

Not exercising is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, plus 5 million deaths per year, according to The Lancet.

The research is in contrast to World Health Organization guidelines that recommend 150 minutes of physical activity every week, notably lower than the 60 to 75 minutes a day that the latest research indicates is most helpful. One limitation of the study is that it may not translate globally; it's mostly based on data from people over age 45 from the U.S., Western Europe and Australia.

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The new Lancet series also delves into the economic burden of physical inactivity an estimated $67.5 billion annually in health care costs and lost productivity), the progress in national physical activity policies and their effectiveness since the 2012 Olympic Games and how to approach increasing physical activity levels.

"Large-scale problems require large-scale solutions, and we need commitment from governments, as well as international organisations to tackle the global public health challenge of physical inactivity. Science and practice are providing important evidence, but now is the time for action," study author Rodrigo Reis, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis , said in a statement.

The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life

How to Know if You're Exercising Too Much

David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.