Just a few minutes of vigorous physical activity per day — enough to leave you breathless — can significantly reduce the risk of major chronic diseases including dementia, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a new study has found.
An international research team led by Professor Xian Minxue of the Xiangya School of Public Health at Central South University in Hunan Province, China, tracked approximately 96,000 British adults over seven years, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal on Wednesday. The results showed a clear trend: the higher the proportion of vigorous physical activity, the lower the risk of major diseases and death.
The researchers measured participants' physical activity using wrist-worn accelerometers, then divided them into groups based on the share of vigorous activity within their total activity. The group whose vigorous activity exceeded 4% of total activity showed a 63% lower risk of dementia, a 60% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes and a 46% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who engaged in no vigorous activity at all.
Notably, these benefits held even among participants whose total exercise volume was not high. This suggests that high-intensity activity, even if brief, has a substantial impact on health.
The researchers explained that repeating everyday movements intense enough to cause breathlessness — such as climbing stairs, walking briskly or playing actively with children — can deliver meaningful health benefits. Even a short sprint to catch a bus can have a positive effect, they said.
The effects varied by disease type. For inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and psoriasis, exercise intensity played a central role in reducing risk. For diabetes and chronic liver disease, both exercise volume and intensity were important factors.
The research team found that vigorous physical activity triggers physiological changes not seen with low-intensity exercise, including improved heart and vascular function and enhanced oxygen utilization. When people engage in breathlessness-inducing activity, the heart circulates blood more efficiently and blood vessel elasticity improves, the researchers explained.
The study is considered significant for offering a realistic health management approach for modern people who struggle to find time for prolonged exercise. The researchers said that 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous activity per week — just a few minutes per day — can yield meaningful health improvements.
Professor Xian cautioned, however, that high-intensity exercise is not suitable for everyone. "For elderly individuals or those with underlying health conditions, excessive activity can actually burden their health, so it is necessary to choose an exercise intensity appropriate to one's individual condition," he said.
