new research suggests that the intensity of exercise matters as much as the duration, particularly when it comes to heart health. A large-scale study published in Nature Communications found that vigorous physical activity-like swimming or high-intensity interval training-offers substantially greater cardiovascular benefits than moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking. Analyzing data from over 73,000 participants in the UK, researchers determined that even short bursts of vigorous activity can yield six times the health gains of longer, less intense workouts.
High-intensity exercise is significantly more effective at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease than moderate-intensity activities like walking, according to a recent study. Researchers found vigorous activity offers six times the benefit of a brisk walk when it comes to heart health.
The research, published in Nature Communications, analyzed data from wearable devices worn by 73,485 participants in the United Kingdom. The study evaluated the impact of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity on the risk of cardiovascular mortality, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
“What we found is that for every minute of vigorous activity, you’d need six minutes of moderate activity to get the same benefit,” explained Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor at the University of Sydney and one of the study’s authors, in an interview with The Independent. This finding underscores the importance of incorporating higher-intensity workouts into a regular fitness routine.
The definition of “vigorous activity” is relative and depends on factors like age and current fitness level. However, examples can include swimming, cycling, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Signs that you’re engaging in vigorous physical activity include:
The study suggests that consistently achieving this intensity several times a week can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
“In our research, we place a lot of emphasis on the intensity of physical activity because, firstly, different intensities have different effects on health, and secondly, the higher the intensity, the greater the health benefit tends to be,” Stamatakis clarified.
While vigorous exercise offers the most significant benefits, the research also indicates that moderate-intensity activities like walking can still improve health. However, more time is required to achieve comparable results. The study highlights that even small increases in physical activity can have a positive impact on overall well-being.
According to Stamatakis, even light physical activity is preferable to remaining sedentary, as any movement is beneficial for metabolic health and energy expenditure.
“However, when it comes to functional capacity, and particularly cardiorespiratory fitness, intensity is needed to challenge physiology. High-intensity physical activity forces the heart to strengthen its muscle, improving its ability to pump blood. Very few of these benefits are produced by low-intensity physical activity, even in large amounts,” he said.
Individuals who currently lead sedentary lifestyles stand to gain the most from incorporating short bursts of intense exercise into their daily routines.
“For this person, if they aim to incorporate seven brief periods of vigorous physical activity per day, or, according to this study, the equivalent of 63 minutes of moderate physical activity, they will reduce their risk of developing health problems such as cardiovascular disease,” Stamatakis explained.
