Study: quadruple exercise for optimal heart

New research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine says the standard 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous exercise may be enough for modest cardiovascular benefit, but not for what the authors called substantial protection. (eurekalert.org) Researchers from Macao Polytechnic University analyzed data from 17,088 UK Biobank participants and estimated that 560 to 610 minutes a week was linked to a greater than 30% reduction in cardiovascular risk. The study was observational, not a clinical trial, and followed middle-aged adults for an average of 7.8 years. The authors measured participants’ weekly activity with wrist-worn devices over seven consecutive days and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness through a cycle test that produced a VO2 max estimate. (bjsm.bmj.com) ### Where does the “quadruple the exercise” claim come from? The 560-to-610-minute figure is the basis for the “quadruple” framing in news coverage. Current public-health guidance cited in the study recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, so the higher range works out to roughly three to four times that baseline. (bjsm.bmj.com) The Independent reported on May 19 that exercising for up to 610 minutes a week could offer “optimal” heart benefits, while a follow-up Independent bulletin on May 20 said the findings challenged the established weekly guideline. (eurekalert.org) ### What exactly did the researchers measure? VO2 max was the study’s main fitness marker. The paper defined it as the maximum rate at which the body can absorb and use oxygen during intense exercise, a standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Researchers then examined how that fitness measure and weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity related to later cardiovascular disease. (eurekalert.org) The UK Biobank sample covered adults studied between 2013 and 2015, with an average age of 57. The cohort was 56% female and 96% white, according to the journal summary and EurekAlert release. (independent.co.uk) ### How much benefit did 150 minutes a week still provide? The study found that meeting the current 150-minute guideline was associated with an 8% to 9% reduction in cardiovascular risk. That effect was reported across fitness levels, according to the journal text and the EurekAlert summary. During follow-up, researchers recorded 1,233 cardiovascular events, including 874 cases of atrial fibrillation, 156 myocardial infarctions, 111 heart-failure events and 92 strokes. (independent.co.uk) The higher 560-to-610-minute range was associated with a risk reduction of more than 30%. (eurekalert.org) ### Did the study say everyone needs the same amount? The paper said no. Researchers reported that people with the lowest fitness needed about 30 to 50 more minutes a week than highly fit people to reach similar relative benefits. They said the current “one-size-fits-all” advice may need to give way to more personalized targets based on fitness level. (bjsm.bmj.com) That point matters because only 12% of people in the study reached the 560-to-610-minute range. The finding suggests the higher target described a level associated with substantial protection in this cohort, not a threshold most participants were already meeting. (eurekalert.org) ### What should readers watch next? The British Journal of Sports Medicine paper is titled “Joint non-linear dose–response associations of device-measured physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness with cardiovascular disease: a cohort and Mendelian randomisation study.” The named corresponding author is Ziheng Ning of Macao Polytechnic University. (medicalxpress.com) Further reaction is likely to focus on whether health agencies keep the 150-minute recommendation as a minimum target while researchers test more personalized exercise prescriptions tied to fitness level and VO2 max. That next debate will center on the BJSM paper and responses from cardiology and public-health specialists. (eurekalert.org) (bjsm.bmj.com)