TINY daily bursts of vigorous activity could almost halve cardiovascular risk in middle-aged women, say researchers from the University of Sydney.
The team used data from over 20,000 people collected in the UK Biobank.
They found that an average of four minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity a day in middle-aged women who did not do structured exercise could almost halve the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, stroke and heart failure.
The exercise could be completed in bursts as short as one minute.
The results were less spectacular for men, with around six minutes total high intensity activity reducing cardiovascular risk by only 16%.
"Making short bursts of vigorous physical activity a lifestyle habit could be a promising option for women who are not keen on structured exercise or are unable to do it for any reason," said author Prof Emmanuel Stamatakis.
"As a starting point, it could be as simple as incorporating throughout the day a few minutes of activities like stair climbing, carrying shopping, uphill walking, playing tag with a child or pet, or power walking," he added.
The study was published today in the BMJ - read it HERE.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 04 Dec 24
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 04 Dec 24
