Vigorous Activity Bursts Lower Chronic Disease Risks

New research published this week reveals that short bursts of vigorous physical activity can significantly lower the risk of developing major chronic diseases, while consistent moderate exercise throughout midlife halves the chances of premature death, particularly among women.

In a study involving 96,408 participants from the UK Biobank, researchers led by Professor Minxue Shen of Central South University's Xiangya School of Public Health in Hunan, China, analyzed wrist-worn accelerometer data collected over one week per person. The findings, detailed in the European Heart Journal on March 30, tracked health outcomes over the subsequent seven years, focusing on eight conditions: major cardiovascular disease, irregular heartbeat, type 2 diabetes, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases like arthritis and psoriasis, liver disease, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

Participants who allocated a higher proportion of their total activity to vigorous efforts, defined as movements causing breathlessness such as running for a bus or climbing stairs quickly, showed substantially reduced risks across all categories. For instance, those with the highest...