New Study: 10 Hours of Exercise Weekly Recommended for Heart Health

Recent findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and reported by Rzeczpospolita, are challenging long-held public health recommendations regarding exercise. A study conducted by researchers at the Polytechnic University of Macau in China suggests that adults may need to engage in moderate to intense physical activity for significantly longer durations each week – between 560 and 610 minutes, or over 9 to 10 hours – to achieve substantial reductions in the risk of heart attack and stroke.

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Adults should perform moderate or intense physical activity for about 560 to 610 minutes per week – that is, from a little over 9 to over 10 hours.

This new benchmark is considerably higher than the widely accepted guideline of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. The study's authors argue that these current, universal norms might require revision and potentially be replaced by more personalized recommendations tailored to an individual's fitness level. They emphasize that cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong predictor of cardiovascular health, and low fitness levels are linked to increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, and premature death.

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Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong predictor of cardiovascular health.

The research analyzed data from over 17,000 participants in the UK Biobank project. Participants wore wrist-worn devices to track their physical activity for a week and underwent a stationary bike test to assess their fitness. The study also considered factors like smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, BMI, resting heart rate, and blood pressure. Over an average follow-up period of 7.8 years, 1,233 cardiovascular incidents were recorded.

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The current, universal norms may require change and replacement with personalized recommendations tailored to the individual's fitness level.

Notably, the study found that adults who met the existing 150-minute weekly exercise recommendation experienced only a modest 8-9% reduction in cardiovascular risk. This suggests that while any exercise is beneficial, achieving the more significant risk reductions highlighted in the new research requires a substantially greater commitment to physical activity. The findings underscore the importance of not only the duration but also the intensity and consistency of exercise for optimal heart health, prompting a potential re-evaluation of global fitness guidelines.

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Adults who met the recommendations for 150 minutes of exercise per week experienced only a small, 8–9% reduction in cardiovascular risk.