Five Minutes Exercise Prevents Deaths

- The study, published in *The Lancet*, analyzed data from over 135,000 people in the UK, US, Norway, and Sweden and was led by Ulf Ekelund of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. - For the least active individuals, adding five minutes of moderate exercise daily could prevent about 6% of premature deaths; when applied to the whole population, this small increase could avert 10% of such deaths. - The same research found that reducing sedentary time, such as sitting, by 30 minutes per day was associated with an estimated 7% reduction in all-cause mortality. - A related concept known as Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) involves short, intense bursts of movement during daily life, such as running for a bus or carrying heavy groceries upstairs. - A separate study in *Nature Medicine* found that just three to four one-minute bouts of VILPA per day were linked to a 40% lower risk of premature death from any cause and a 49% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. - Unlike previous research that relied on self-reported activity, many of these recent studies use data from wearable fitness trackers to more accurately monitor participants' daily movements. - These findings are notable because they demonstrate the significant impact of small, achievable changes, in contrast to broader public health guidelines which typically recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. - The greatest health benefits from small increases in activity are seen in the most inactive individuals; one analysis estimated that for a very sedentary person, increasing daily activity from one to six minutes reduces mortality risk by 30%.