A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has shown that just four minutes per day of vigorous physical activity is enough to reduce the risk of heart attacks and heart failure in middle-aged women.
The study included over 22,000 participants (13,000 of whom were women) in the UK Biobank. Participants were between the ages of 40 and 79 and reported that they did not regularly participate in structured exercise. Participants had their daily activity levels tracked for seven days, and their cardiovascular health was monitored for a mean of nearly eight years after the initial measurements. The goal of the study was to see how short bursts of physical activity that are part of one’s daily life, called vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, affect the chances of having a major adverse cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, for men and women.
The results showed that daily bursts of physical activity were associated with a substantially reduced risk of both heart attacks and heart failure among women. More time spent exercising correlated with further reductions in risk. Women who averaged 3.4 minutes of vigorous activity per day had a 51% lower risk of heart attacks and a 67% lower risk of heart failure compared to women who got no vigorous physical activity. In men, the relationship between short bursts of activity and heart health was less clear and did not reach statistical significance.
The authors noted that this study could point to an easy way to reduce heart risks for women who are not interested in structured exercise. Simple steps like taking the stairs, playing tag with your children, or power walking in short bursts every day could substantially reduce your risk of adverse cardiovascular events.