Study Finds 9-10 Hours of Weekly Exercise Cuts Cardiovascular Risk by Over 30%
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · May 26
Study Finds 9-10 Hours of Weekly Exercise Cuts Cardiovascular Risk by Over 30%
6 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 26
17,088 UK Biobank participants tracked for about eight years showed a clear dose-response: meeting the 150-minute weekly guideline cut serious cardiovascular event risk by 8% to 9%, while 9 to 10 hours cut it by more than 30%.
1,233 serious events were recorded, and the analysis found about 340 to 370 minutes a week was needed for a 20% risk reduction; people with the lowest fitness needed 30 to 50 extra minutes for the same benefit.
Device-measured activity and Mendelian randomization strengthened the observational study, which independent experts called large and well conducted, though they cautioned against turning the 560- to 610-minute range into a public-health target.
12% of participants reached at least 560 minutes a week, so the authors said the main public-health message still holds: 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity remains a meaningful universal minimum, with trials needed to test higher thresholds.
If 10 hours of exercise cuts heart risk by 30%, why do experts still recommend only 150 minutes?
Is workout duration the key, or do intensity and type matter more for preventing heart disease?
Major Study: Current Exercise Guidelines Fall Short—9–10 Hours Weekly Needed for Maximum Cardiovascular Protection
Overview
A major new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine is set to change how we think about exercise for heart health. The research shows that much higher amounts of physical activity—about 9 to 10 hours of moderate to vigorous exercise each week—can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by over 30%. This challenges current guidelines, which recommend only 150 minutes per week and offer much smaller benefits. The findings suggest that to get the best protection for your heart, people may need to aim for more exercise than previously thought.