Short but intense physical activities can significantly impact the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and dementia.
The study, the results of which were published today, confirms that even a few minutes of active physical activity can greatly reduce the risk of developing a number of serious diseases, including arthritis and dementia.
The study analyzed nearly 96,000 people. Scientists assessed the level of physical activity and its intensity, and then tracked the development of eight major diseases among participants over time.
Even brief episodes of intense exertion, such as rushing for a bus, are associated with a lower risk of diseases and mortality. A particularly noticeable protective effect is observed concerning inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, as well as serious cardiovascular conditions like heart attack and stroke, and dementia.
The research was conducted by an international team, including Professor Minxue Shen from the Xiangya School of Public Health at Central South University in China. He noted: “We know that physical activity helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases and premature death. Every day, more evidence emerges that intense exertion provides more health benefits in a short period than moderate activity. However, questions remain about the relationship between intensity and overall volume of physical activity.” The professor emphasizes the importance of understanding whether one should focus on more intense workouts if time is limited.
Participants in the UK Biobank project wore wrist accelerometers for a week, which recorded detailed patterns of their movements, including short bursts of intense activity that might have been overlooked. This data allowed scientists to assess both the overall level of physical activity and the proportion of active moments that caused shortness of breath.
Researchers then compared this data with the likelihood of diseases and mortality among participants over the next seven years, including cardiovascular diseases, arrhythmia, type 2 diabetes, and others.
More intense physical activities show more pronounced benefits.
The results of the study showed that those who spent most of their activities in intense movements had a significantly lower risk of all studied diseases. People with the highest level of intense activity had a 63% lower risk of developing dementia, a 60% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 46% lower risk of death compared to those who did not engage in intense physical activity. These benefits were observed even with relatively small amounts of time spent on intense workouts.
Researchers also noted that the intensity of workouts plays a key role concerning certain diseases. For inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and psoriasis, intensity is an important factor in reducing risk. However, for diabetes and liver diseases, both the duration and intensity of activity are important.
Why is intense physical activity so beneficial?
Professor Shen explains: “Intense exertion likely triggers specific responses in the body that cannot be achieved through less intense exercises. During such exertion, your heart works more efficiently, blood vessels become more elastic, and the body enhances its ability to utilize oxygen.” He also added that active physical activity may help reduce inflammatory processes, which explains the connection with diseases such as arthritis, and may contribute to improved brain cell health, which in turn reduces the risk of dementia.
Small changes in daily life can have a significant impact.
“Our research shows that intense physical activity can provide significant health benefits. It is not necessary to go to the gym for this. Incorporating short episodes of activity that can cause mild shortness of breath, such as brisk walking or active play with children, can make a substantial difference. Even 15-20 minutes of such efforts a week, which amounts to just a few minutes a day, is associated with noticeable health improvements,” claims the professor.
“Current recommendations generally focus on the total time spent in physical activity. Our results show that not only the volume but also the composition of activity is important, which may vary depending on the diseases that need to be prevented. This could lead to more personalized physical activity recommendations based on individual health risks.” The professor added: “Intense physical activities may not be safe for everyone, especially for older adults and people with certain conditions. Nevertheless, any increase in physical activity will be beneficial, and it is important to tailor physical exertion to individual needs.”
The post "A few minutes of physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of eight diseases" first appeared on K-News.
