Consistent vs. sporadic exercise for extending life

The modern world is inundated with health and fitness advice. Some has strong scientific backing, while other information is pulled out of the air. So how can we ever understand what to do that will benefit us most? 10,000 steps per day? High intensity training? Weight training? Nothing at all?

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association explored whether short bursts of exercise throughout the day, such as climbing the stairs, could be as beneficial as sustained moderate-to-vigorous activity, as recommended by health guidelines in America. The study found that, indeed, short bursts such as these could work to reduce risk of disease and death, and that even brief trips up and down stairs count towards accumulated exercise minutes so long as the intensity reached a moderate or vigorous level. Moderate exertion is described as a brisk walking pace that makes it hard to hold a conversation.

The study, carried out by scientists at the Duke University School of Medicine and National Cancer Institute, analysed data from 4,840 people over the age of 40 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2006.

Study author, Professor William E. Kraus, said " The most dramatic improvements in the overall risk for death and disease can occur with a relatively small amount of effort, and the more you do, the better the benefits".

In the study, participants who got less than 20 minutes of activity per day had the highest risk of death, while those who got 60 minutes or more activity per day reduced their risk of death by 57%.

References

Pedro F. Saint‐Maurice, Richard P. Troiano, Charles E. Matthews, William E. Kraus. Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity and All‐Cause Mortality: Do Bouts Matter? Journal of the American Heart Association, 2018; 7 (6): e007678 DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.117.007678

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