Moderate exercise for 2 minutes at a time might provide the same health benefits as longer workouts.[1]
Federal exercise guidelines recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Following such a routine is believed to reduce the risk of certain diseases and premature death. Guidelines published a decade ago recommended that the exercise be conducted in at least 10-minute long sessions to increase endurance.[1]
However, a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that even exercise sessions as short as two minutes can have a similar impact.[2] They may not improve athletic endurance, but they appear to provide the same general health benefits. And, importantly, this exercise might be as simple as walking down the hall or climbing stairs.
The key is the total level of activity — 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. So, two minutes at a time is fine so long as it’s done 15 times a day.
The study shows a correlation between exercise patterns and life expectancy, but it does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further study is anticipated.
- The New York Times, "Those 2-Minute Walk Breaks? They Add Up," March 28, 2018
- Journal of the American Heart Association, "Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity and All‐Cause Mortality: Do Bouts Matter?" March 22, 2018
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is the author of "Mad as Hell: How the Tea Party Movement Is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two-Party System," "In Search of Self-Governance," and "The People’s Money: How Voters Will Balance the Budget and Eliminate the Federal Debt." Read more reports from Scott Rasmussen — Click Here Now.
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