Getting enough exercise is an essential part of keeping healthy and active, particularly as you get older, but many people struggle to fit exercise into their daily routines.
Now, researchers have found that ‘exercise snacks’ — short bursts of physical activity — may be an effective way for less active people to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness.
Because exercise is taken in short bursts of around 5 minutes at least twice a day, people are more likely to stick to this exercise regime than other more time-consuming exercise plans.
Regular physical activity is essential for health, helping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression, and osteoporosis, as well as premature death.
However, many adults struggle to achieve the 150 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of intense activity each week recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention trusted Source (CDC). A recent source found that almost one-third of people take insufficient physical activity to maintain health.
Now, a review study has shown that, for physically inactive adults, short bursts of physical activity, known as “exercise snacks,” may be effective in enhancing heart and lung function.
