Most people know that exercise is important for staying healthy.
Doctors have long encouraged adults to stay active to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other health problems.
Current public health guidelines in many countries recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week. This includes activities such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, or other exercises that raise the heart rate.
For years, many people believed that reaching this 150-minute goal was enough to provide strong protection against heart disease. However, a new study suggests that much higher levels of exercise may be needed to achieve major reductions in the risk of serious heart problems.
The research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and was carried out by researchers from Macao Polytechnic University.
The researchers found that adults may need between 560 and 610 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week to achieve a large reduction in the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. This is around three to four times higher than current public health recommendations.
The study also suggested that people with lower fitness levels may need even more exercise than fitter individuals to receive the same heart protection.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death around the world. Conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythms can seriously reduce quality of life and shorten lifespan. Because of this, researchers are constantly trying to better understand how lifestyle habits such as exercise affect heart health.
One important measure used in the study was cardiorespiratory fitness. This describes how well the heart, lungs, and muscles work together during physical activity. People with good cardiorespiratory fitness can usually exercise longer and more efficiently because their bodies deliver oxygen more effectively.
Scientists often measure this fitness level using something called VO2 max. VO2 max measures the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise. A higher VO2 max generally means better heart and lung fitness.
Previous research has already shown that low cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and early death.
To better understand the relationship between exercise and heart health, the researchers analyzed data from 17,088 adults who participated in the large UK Biobank study between 2013 and 2015. The average age of participants was 57 years old. Around 56 percent were women, and most participants were white.
Participants wore a wrist device for seven days to measure how much physical activity they normally performed. They also completed a cycling test that allowed researchers to estimate their VO2 max.
The researchers also collected information on smoking, alcohol use, body weight, blood pressure, resting heart rate, diet, and general health.
Participants were then followed for an average of 7.8 years to track the development of cardiovascular diseases.
During that time, researchers recorded 1,233 cardiovascular events. These included 874 cases of atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat, 156 heart attacks, 111 cases of heart failure, and 92 strokes.
The results showed that adults who met the current recommendation of 150 minutes of exercise per week did experience some benefits. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was reduced by around 8 to 9 percent.
However, the reduction was considered relatively modest.
To achieve what researchers described as “substantial” protection, meaning a reduction of more than 30 percent in cardiovascular risk, participants needed between 560 and 610 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every week.
Interestingly, only about 12 percent of participants in the study actually reached this higher level of exercise.
The researchers also discovered that people with lower fitness levels needed slightly more exercise than highly fit individuals to receive the same level of heart protection.
For example, people with low fitness needed about 370 minutes of exercise weekly to reduce cardiovascular risk by 20 percent, while highly fit people needed around 340 minutes.
The researchers explained that this creates a greater challenge for people who are already physically deconditioned or less active.
The study raises important questions about whether future exercise guidelines should become more personalized instead of using the same recommendation for everyone.
Right now, public health advice usually gives the same minimum target to all adults regardless of age, fitness level, or health condition. The researchers believe future guidelines may need to include both a basic minimum level for general protection and a higher target for people aiming for the best possible heart health.
Still, the researchers emphasized that the current recommendation of 150 minutes per week remains valuable and beneficial. Even moderate exercise can improve health compared to being inactive.
The researchers also noted several limitations of the study. Because it was observational, it cannot fully prove that exercise directly caused the reduced risk. The participants may also have been healthier and fitter than the general population. In addition, less intense physical activity and sitting time were not fully measured.
Overall, the study provides strong evidence that more exercise may offer greater protection for the heart than previously thought.
At the same time, it highlights that exercise goals may not need to be exactly the same for every person. Future research may help doctors develop more personalized exercise plans based on individual fitness levels and health needs.
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