Scientists reveal simple activities that can cut early death risk by a fifth.
Two minutes a day of vigorous exercise such as swimming, skipping or walking up the stairs is enough to make a real difference
Just two minutes of vigorous exercise a day is enough to cut the risk of an early death by nearly a fifth, research suggests.
Simply walking up the stairs, going for a swim, or skipping can be counted as "vigorous" activity, while going to the gym and more strenuous forms of movement also reach the threshold, according to the NHS.
Data collected from more than 70,000 middle-aged people in the UK showed that people who did no vigorous activity had a four per cent risk of dying within five years, but this was halved to just two per cent when they did at least 10 minutes a week.
The risk halved again to just one per cent for those who managed to up their activity to an hour or more a week.
Researchers at the University of Sydney studied the data from the participants, who were aged between 40 and 60, and who wore an activity tracking bracelet for a week. The participants then provided health data to the researchers for seven years.
They found that people who completed two minutes of vigorous exercise a day, or around 15 minutes a week, were 18 per cent less likely to die during the study than those who did just two minutes a week.
Those who clocked 15 minutes a week were also 15 per cent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period, scientists found.
“The results indicate that accumulating vigorous activity in short bouts across the week can help us live longer,” said study author Dr Matthew Ahmadi of the University of Sydney, Australia.
“Given that lack of time is the most commonly reported barrier to regular physical activity, accruing small amounts sporadically during the day may be a particularly attractive option for busy people.”
More exercise, the better
The study also found that people who were more active overall were even more likely to stay healthier for longer.
For example, the people in the study who got in around 53 minutes of vigorous exercise a week saw their risk of dying during the study drop by more than a third. Those who did four two-minute bursts of vigorous activity a day were found to be 27 per cent less likely to die over the course of the study.
Separate research into the benefits of changing gentle activities into more robust exercise in middle age showed it also reduced the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Using the same data-set of middle-aged people in the UK, scientists found that turning a 14-minute stroll into a seven-minute brisk walk was found to cut a person's risk of developing heart disease by 14 per cent.
The wrist-tracking data showed that intensity of exercise is an important factor in health, as well as how much is done.
Current NHS guidance states that adults should aim to be active every day, and also that adults should undertake 150 minutes of moderately intense activity (such as a brisk walk) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (such as running) every week.
“Our study shows that it’s not just the amount of activity, but also the intensity, that is important for cardiovascular health,” said study author Dr Paddy Dempsey, from the University of Leicester and the University of Cambridge.
Both studies included adults aged 40 to 69 from the UK Biobank, who wore an activity tracker on their wrist for seven consecutive days. Their health was then tracked for several years.
Dr Dempsey said: “Our results suggest that increasing the total volume of physical activity is not the only way to reduce the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
“Raising the intensity was also particularly important, while increasing both was optimal. This indicates that boosting the intensity of activities you already do is good for heart health.
“For example, picking up the pace on your daily walk to the bus stop or completing household chores more quickly.”
Both the studies were published in the European Heart Journal.
