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60-second ‘exercise snack’ is great for the health of your heart

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60-second ‘exercise snack’ is great for the health of your heart

An expert has suggested that short bursts of exercise, lasting less than a minute, could be beneficial for those who find it difficult to maintain regular workout routines. These intense bouts, dubbed “exercise snacks”, are particularly recommended for individuals who lead sedentary lifestyles, such as those battling obesity or chronic diseases.

Bruno Gualano, an associate professor at the Centre of Lifestyle Medicine at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, suggests activities like stair climbing or brief cycling sessions, separated by hours-long intervals. The NHS advises adults to engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity, but encourages adults to increase this to 300 minutes for additional health benefits. However, during his presentation at the International Congress on Obesity in Sao Paulo, Mr Gualano acknowledged that many people struggle to meet these targets and proposed that short bursts could counteract the detrimental effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

“To mitigate the negative impacts of prolonged sitting, ‘exercise snacks’ are proposed as a practical alternative,” he added. “These are brief, intense bursts of activity (one minute or less), which can be more time-efficient than traditional exercise regimes.”

He highlighted that numerous studies have demonstrated benefits for cardiorespiratory fitness and vascular health from these short bursts of activity.

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“For instance, hourly stair-based exercise snacks improved vascular health in a trial with healthy males, while another study demonstrated their feasibility and benefits for people who are overweight or living with obesity,” he added. “However, many people may struggle to implement exercise snacks owing to practical reasons, such as bus drivers or people who have physical disabilities and/or low exercise capacity, such as older individuals.”

Mr Gualano highlighted the potential advantages of incorporating “exercise snacks” into daily routines, noting improvements in metabolic health and reduced sedentary time. “These benefits may be achieved even with unstructured, very light activities, which do not fit exactly in the category of exercise snacks,” he explained.

He pointed out that this approach could be easily adopted in various settings, including at home or in the office, since it doesn’t require any special equipment or devices.

Emphasising the need for more research to fully understand the long-term effects and safety of these short bursts of activity, Mr Gualano concluded: “The take-home message is that these strategies should be personalised.”

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Fitness

Even Adding a Few Extra Minutes of Exercise Daily Lowers Blood Pressure

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Even Adding a Few Extra Minutes of Exercise Daily Lowers Blood Pressure

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Small additional amounts of exercise each day are associated with lower blood pressure (BP) in a free-living setting, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in Circulation.

Joanna M. Blodgett, Ph.D., from University College London, and colleagues investigated associations between a 24-hour behavior composition composed of six parts (sleeping, sedentary behavior, standing, slow walking, fast walking, and combined exercise-like activity [e.g., running and cycling]) and systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). The analysis included data from 14,761 participants in six cohorts of the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep consortium.

The researchers found that the average 24-hour composition consisted of sleeping (7.13 hours), sedentary behavior (10.7 hours), standing (3.2 hours), slow walking (1.6 hours), fast walking (1.1 hours), and exercise-like activity (16.0 minutes). Compared with other behaviors, more time spent exercising or sleeping was associated with lower BP. There were estimated reductions of –0.68 mm Hg SBP and –0.54 mm Hg DBP with an additional five minutes of exercise-like activity. Reallocating 20 to 27 minutes and 10 to 15 minutes of time in other behaviors into additional exercise was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in SBP and DBP, respectively. More time spent being sedentary was adversely associated with SBP and DBP, but there was minimal impact of standing or walking.

“If you want to change your blood pressure, putting more demand on the cardiovascular system through exercise will have the greatest effect,” Blodgett said in a statement.

One author holds equity in a company for products and services related to the study.

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has recently addressed speculations surrounding her health condition while on the International Space Station (ISS), discarding recent claims made by media outlets regarding her wellbeing. In response to reports that suggested she appeared “gaunt” due to an extended stay on the ISS, Williams clarified her status during a video interview on November 12, explaining that her weight has remained unchanged since her arrival in orbit.

Routine Exercise and Physical Adaptations

Williams, who commands Expedition 72 aboard the ISS, responded to health concerns publicly, indicating that any changes in her physical appearance are the result of rigorous exercise routines rather than health deterioration. Like all astronauts on extended missions, she has been following an intense workout regimen designed to counteract the muscle and bone density loss commonly associated with prolonged microgravity exposure. Williams stated that her routine includes running on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike and lifting weights. It is a form of exercise that has led to increased muscle mass, particularly in her thighs and glutes, while her overall weight remains consistent.

NASA’s Statement on Crew Health

NASA had previously denied the reports, emphasising that Williams and her fellow crew members, including NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, are in good health. Williams and Wilmore, who arrived at the ISS on June 6 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, were initially scheduled for a ten-day mission under the Crew Flight Test programme. Technical issues with Starliner’s thrusters led NASA to extend their stay on the ISS until early 2025, when they are expected to return with SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission astronauts.

Current ISS Crew Status

The current ISS team, led by Williams, includes three NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts, all working collaboratively despite recent media scrutiny. Williams assured viewers that her health and morale remain robust as the crew carries out essential research and maintenance tasks on the orbiting laboratory showing NASA’s confidence in their well-being during extended missions.

 

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Vigorous Activity Can Compensate for Prolonged Sitting Time

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Vigorous Activity Can Compensate for Prolonged Sitting Time

TUESDAY, Nov. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — An age-equivalent benefit is found for vigorous exercise, after considering sitting time, according to a study recently published in PLOS ONE.

Ryan Bruellman, from the University of California Riverside, and colleagues analyzed data from the Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging in adults aged 28 to 49 years to examine how activity intensity and sitting behavior influence health. The trade-off between sitting and physical activity was explored leveraging the co-twin control approach.

The researchers found that the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio (TC/HDL) and body mass index (BMI) demonstrated increasing age trends, with an inverse association seen for prolonged sitting and vigorous activity. An age-equivalent benefit of vigorous exercise was found after considering sitting time, with expected TC/HDL and BMI estimates of those performing 30 minutes daily mirroring those of sedentary individuals five and 10 years younger, respectively. Partial exposure effects for TC/HDL were suggested in a co-twin control analysis, indicating that sitting health effects may be countered by greater vigorous activity, but with diminishing returns.

“Our results challenge recommended physical activity and we suggest guidelines need to be adjusted to account for sitting time throughout the day,” the authors write. “Sitting less, healthier eating, and focusing on increasing the amount of vigorous activity need to be clear messaging points to the public to provide a succinct and impactful change to sedentary habits.”

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