Study: 560–610 minutes weekly exercise

BMJ Group said on May 20 that adults may need far more weekly exercise than current minimum guidelines to produce a large reduction in the risk of heart attacks and stroke. The finding came from an observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that analyzed data from more than 17,000 middle-aged adults in the United Kingdom. Researchers reported that 560 to 610 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity was linked with a reduction of more than 30% in cardiovascular event risk. They also said people with lower cardiorespiratory fitness appeared to need more activity to reach the same level of benefit. ### Where does the 560-610 minute figure come from? The British Journal of Sports Medicine paper examined the joint relationship between accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness, estimated as maximal oxygen uptake, or VO2 max. The study used UK Biobank data and tracked incident cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, according to the journal abstract. (bmjgroup.com) More than 17,000 middle-aged British adults were included in the analysis, according to BMJ Group and media reports summarizing the study. The researchers said the dose-response relationship was non-linear, meaning additional activity was associated with larger gains up to a point rather than in a straight line. (bjsm.bmj.com) ### How does that compare with current exercise advice? Current public-health guidance commonly recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, for adults. BMJ Group said the new findings suggest those guidelines may be too low for what the authors described as a substantial reduction in cardiovascular risk. (bmjgroup.com) The Independent, citing the study, reported that meeting current guidelines was associated with an 8% to 9% reduction in the odds of a heart event. By contrast, 560 to 610 minutes a week was associated with a reduction of more than 30%, the report said. ### Why did fitness level matter in the study? (bmjgroup.com) The BMJ Group release said less fit individuals needed to do more exercise to get the same benefits. That finding came from the study’s effort to assess physical activity together with cardiorespiratory fitness rather than treating exercise volume alone as the full story. (independent.co.uk) VO2 max, the measure used to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness, is a standard indicator of how efficiently the body uses oxygen during exercise. The paper’s authors said the work was designed to characterize how fitness and activity interact in relation to future cardiovascular disease. ### Does the study say everyone now needs 10 hours a week? (bmjgroup.com) The study was observational, not a randomized clinical trial, and BMJ Group described the findings as associations rather than proof that a specific exercise target causes a specific reduction in risk. The journal abstract also said the researchers assessed causal consistency with Mendelian randomization, a genetic method often used to test whether observed associations are directionally consistent with causation. (bjsm.bmj.com) The BMJ Group release framed the 560-610 minute range as the level linked to a substantial reduction in heart attack and stroke risk, not as a replacement for all existing advice in every person. The paper was published online on May 20 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. ### What should readers watch for next? (bmjgroup.com) The British Journal of Sports Medicine paper is now available online, and follow-up coverage is likely to focus on how clinicians and guideline-setting bodies interpret the findings. BMJ Group posted the press release in its media hub on May 20, 2026, alongside the journal publication. (bmjgroup.com)