‘Tiny bursts’ of physical activity may yield big heart-health benefits for women

Four minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity a day. That’s all middle-aged women need to do to cut in half their risk of a heart attack and stroke, Australian researchers claim.

A team from the University of Sydney used data from more than 22,000 people 40 to 79 years old. Study participants wore activity trackers for almost 24 hours a day over a one-week period. Average follow-up was 7.9 years.

Among the female participants, those who averaged at least 3.4 minutes of high-intensity physical activity that formed part of their daily routine, or “incidental vigorous physical activity,” cut their cardiovascular risk by 45% compared with those who didn’t engage in any structured exercise.

Even an average of 1.2 to 1.6 minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity was linked to a 30% reduction in major cardiovascular events.

Men who were part of the study also benefited from the “tiny bursts” of vigorous physical activity, although not as strongly. Those who averaged at least 5.6 minutes a day were 16% less likely to have major cardiovascular issues than the men who didn’t exercise. Those who average 2.3 minutes a day had an 11% reduction in risk.

“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 study author Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the university. “As a starting point, it could be as simple as incorporating, throughout the day, a few minutes of activities like stair-climbing, carrying shopping bags, uphill walking, playing tag with a child or pet, or either uphill or power walking.”

The study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.