(Julia Ries/ Healthline) — New research shows that small bouts of physical activity spread throughout the day could reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and premature death.
The study, recently published in The Lancet Public Health, found that people may be able to lower their risk of major cardiovascular events through sporadic bursts of movement — lasting just one to three minutes — even if they don’t typically exercise.
The health benefits linked to a few minutes of movements was comparable to those conferred from physical activity lasting five to 10 minutes.
Many adults don’t get the recommend amount of daily exercise, likely due to the cost and time commitment required, however, this study shows that simply moving more through daily living activities may protect the heart.
“These findings are promising to public health, as it might be easier for people to incorporate shorter periods of physical activity as a daily habit than a longer structured exercise routine,” Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, board certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, told Healthline. Chen was not involved in the study. (…)