Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, but a new study reveals that even short bursts of physical activity can help lower risk. Researchers found that just three minutes of moderate to vigorous incidental physical activity per day could cut the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes in half.
Incidental physical activity (IPA) refers to movement that’s not considered leisure or recreational exercise, such as taking the stairs, carrying groceries, or doing housecleaning. The study involved over 24,000 adults who wore a wristband accelerometer for seven days, tracking their light, moderate, and vigorous IPA levels.
The results showed that higher doses of IPA were associated with lower cardiovascular risk. For example, 1 minute of vigorous IPA was equivalent to 2.8-3.4 minutes of moderate IPA or 35-48 minutes of light IPA. This means that even brief moments of physical activity can make a difference.
According to lead study author Emmanuel Stamatakis, “Know that no movement is wasted and all of it counts.” The key is to use any opportunity in life to move at higher intensity, such as using stairs instead of elevators or parking your car further away. By incorporating more IPA into daily activities, individuals can improve cardiovascular health and lower their risk of heart problems.
Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/a65449825/study-incidental-physical-activity-heart-disease