Short bouts of keep-fit could save men’s lives

Short bouts of light intensity exercise could lower the risk of early death among older men, a new study suggests.

Guidance from the UK’S chief medical officers suggests that older people should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

But now researchers have said that the overall volume of activity is key, rather than the sessions of at least 10 minutes.

The new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, drew on data from the British Regional Heart Study.

The research involved almost 8,000 participants from 24 British towns, when the study started in 1978-80.

The authors found that the total volume of physical activity, from light intensity upwards, was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Each additional 30 minutes a day of light intensity activity – such as gardening or taking the dog for a walk – was associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of death.

They found that “lower mortality risks were gained across the spectrum of activity levels, not confined to a particular threshold level”.

And there was no evidence to suggest that accumulating moderate to vigorous activity in bouts lasting more than 10 minutes lowered the risk of mortality compared with accumulating activity in shorter bouts, they added.