Move more. Sit less. For many years, that’s been accepted guidance for people wanting to get healthier.
Now that message is getting refined, with a growing body of research suggesting that certain types of movements may be more beneficial than others when it comes to health benefits.
The intensity of your exercise may matter as well. A new study published in the European Heart Journal found that a small amount of vigorous activity may be linked to lower risk of eight different chronic diseases
The findings raise questions about why intensity matters and how people can incorporate more intense exercise routines into everyday life. To better understand the study’s implications, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.
Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you experience pain.
CNN: What did this study examine about exercise and its relationship to chronic disease?
Dr. Leana Wen: This investigation looked at how the intensity of physical activity is related to the risk of developing a range of chronic diseases. Researchers analyzed data from two very large groups in the UK Biobank, which is a long-term health study in the United Kingdom that tracks medical and lifestyle information from hundreds of thousands of participants. One group included about 96,000 people who wore wrist activity trackers that objectively measured their movement, and the other included more than 375,000 people who self-reported their activity.
