150 minutes of weekly activity insufficient for optimal heart health, study finds

Current health guidelines recommending 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week may not be sufficient to adequately protect against cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. A new study published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" indicates that substantially more exercise, around 9-10 hours weekly, could yield much greater health benefits.

“

150 minutes of moderate or intense physical activity per week, as recommended by doctors, is only a small protection against heart attack and stroke.

Researchers from Macao Polytechnic University analyzed data from over 17,000 participants, who wore activity trackers for a week and underwent fitness tests. The study tracked cardiovascular events over nearly eight years, including atrial fibrillation, heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes. The findings revealed that individuals meeting the current 150-minute recommendation experienced an 8-9% lower risk of these events compared to less active individuals.

“

Greater benefits may come from exercise amounting to about 9-10 hours per week.

However, the study highlighted that the most active participants achieved far more significant benefits. Those engaging in approximately 560-610 minutes (about 9-10 hours) of moderate to intense activity weekly saw their risk of cardiovascular diseases drop by over 30%. This level of activity equates to roughly 80-90 minutes of exercise per day, which can include brisk walking, running, or cycling.

“

Participants who performed the recommended 150 minutes of moderate or intense activity per week had an 8-9% lower risk of such events than people who moved less.

Interestingly, the study also found that individuals with lower baseline fitness levels required slightly more exercise to achieve similar risk reductions. For instance, reducing cardiovascular risk by 20% required about 370 minutes of weekly exercise for those with the lowest fitness, compared to 340 minutes for the fittest group. The researchers concluded that while 150 minutes of activity offers some heart health improvement, it falls short of the optimal level for maximizing benefits.

“

With about 560-610 minutes (i.e., approximately 9-10 hours) of moderate or intense activity per week, the risk of cardiovascular diseases decreased by more than 30%.