Short bursts of intense activity lower risk for 8 diseases
Turns out you don't need hours at the gym: just a few quick, intense moves (like running for the bus or taking the stairs fast) can lower your risk for eight major diseases, including heart disease, arthritis, and even dementia.
The key is intensity over time: it's about how hard you move, not how long for some conditions.
Researchers used wrist accelerometer data
Researchers looked at data from more than 96,000 people using wrist-worn accelerometers and discovered that even small amounts of vigorous activity (just 15 to 20 minutes a week) made a big difference.
People who got just over 4% of their weekly movement in short bursts saw up to 60% lower risk for things like type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
Shen said, Even 15 to 20 minutes per week of this kind of effort -- just a few minutes a day -- was linked to meaningful health benefits.