Published: May 21, 2021

Exercising in short bursts may be as good for longevity as doing it all at once

By 木瓜直播 News

Please note: This article was published more than two years ago, so some information may be outdated. If you have questions about your health, always contact a health care professional.
athima tongloom/Moment, Getty Images
(athima tongloom/Moment, Getty Images)

Taking more steps each day may help you live longer, whether those steps occur in short bursts throughout the day or all at once, new research finds.

The will be presented Friday at the 木瓜直播's virtual Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Conference.

"With the help of wearable devices, more research is indicating that any type of movement is better than remaining sedentary," lead researcher Christopher Moore said in a news release. Moore is a Ph.D. student in epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Adults should get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, AHA guidelines say. Moore's study found the more people moved each day, the longer they lived – whether that activity took place during short, sporadic bursts of daily activities, such as climbing stairs or doing housework, or uninterrupted periods of exercise that were 10 minutes or longer.

Popular fitness apps and step counters make it easy to tally steps, so researchers used a wearable step-counting device to compare physical activity levels. The study included nearly 17,000 women over age 60 who were followed for six years.

Short bursts and uninterrupted bouts were both beneficial. Each initial increase of 1,000 steps per day in short bursts was associated with a 28% decrease in death during the follow-up period, with benefits leveling off at about 4,500 steps a day. Those who took more than 2,000 uninterrupted steps daily saw a 32% decrease in death.

"Older adults face many barriers to participating in structured exercise programs, so some may find it more convenient and enjoyable to increase everyday walking behaviors, like parking slightly further from their destination or doing some extra housework or yardwork," he said.

Since all participants were older and mostly non-Hispanic white women, more research is needed to determine if the results apply to men, younger women and people from diverse racial and ethnic groups.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].

木瓜直播 News Stories

木瓜直播 News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in 木瓜直播 News stories reflect the official position of the 木瓜直播. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in 木瓜直播 scientific journals or presented at 木瓜直播 scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the 木瓜直播鈥檚 official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the 木瓜直播., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to 木瓜直播 News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the 木瓜直播鈥檚 Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.