- Australian researchers followed more than 25,000 British adults who did not exercise
- Short bouts of exercise were associated with a sharp reduction in heart attacks and strokes
Climbing a flight of stairs and quickly mopping the floor is enough to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study suggests.
Research has shown that short bursts of ‘occasional’ activity, as we do as part of everyday life, can keep you healthy as you get older.
A team led by the University of Sydney tracked more than 25,000 British adults who did not participate in any sport or exercise.
Participants wore wrist devices that measured their physical activity patterns.
The researchers found that the majority of incidental activity occurred in periods of less than 10 minutes.
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Research has shown that short bursts of ‘occasional’ activity, as we do as part of everyday life, can keep you healthy as you get older. A team led by the University of Sydney tracked more than 25,000 British adults who did not participate in any sport or exercise. Participants wore wrist devices that measured their physical activity patterns
These short bursts – of moderate to vigorous intensity – were associated with sharp reductions in heart attacks and strokes, and deaths from all causes, over the course of eight years.
Consistent exercise for at least one to three minutes was associated with significantly more benefit – a 29 percent reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes and a 44 percent reduction in mortality risk – compared to very short bouts of less than a minute .
And the more vigorous the activity in each battle, the better. Those who sighed and puffed for at least 10 seconds per minute saw the greatest benefit, the team said.
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, lead author of the study, said: ‘From climbing stairs to quickly mopping the floor, in recent years we have come to understand that not only is structured exercise good for our health – but we also know very little about how these short periods of incidental activity translate into health benefits.”
The team said the idea of building up short bursts of activity throughout daily life makes physical activity much more accessible for people who don’t want or can’t participate in exercise.
Lead author Dr Matthew Ahmadi added: ‘This study suggests that people may be able to reduce their risk of serious heart problems by participating in daily activities of at least moderate intensity, ideally exercising continuously for at least one to three minutes at a time. .
‘In fact, it appears that this may have similar health benefits as longer periods of five to 10 minutes.
‘The take-home message here is that any form of activity is good for your health, but the more effort you put into those daily tasks and the longer you maintain that energy, the more benefits you are likely to reap.
“If you’re huffing and puffing and can’t carry on a conversation for part of that time, you’re in the right place.”
The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Public Health.