What if you are not a physically active person and find it difficult to stick to a routine of going to the gym or set aside a fixed time slot for something as simple as walking or running? Well, researchers from the University of Sydney have found that just 1.5 to 4-minute small bursts of high intensity exercise throughout the day may lower a person’s risk of heart attacks and strokes. The idea is to build in regularity of short activity bursts that can be easily adhered to and have a cumulative effect on heart health.
According to lead author Emmanuel Stamatakis, faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, the idea of the research was to find a fitness routine that could be more inclusive of people, particularly those who are of middling or older ages.
The findings, recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, have found that short-burst-high-intensity activity, scientifically known as “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA)”, such as taking the stairs instead of an elevator or carrying groceries a short distance may help lower a person’s risk of “major adverse cardiovascular events”, especially in women. Researchers analysed UK Biobank data from more than 1,03,000 middle-aged men and women with an average age of 61. Dr Stamatakis feels this fitness routine is sustainable. Excerpts:
Which exercises qualify as VILPA?
Doing gardening with more vigour, fast walking with backpacks, walking uphill, brief power-walking sprints, energetic playing with kids or pets and stair-climbing. The key principle is to increase the intensity of an otherwise light or moderate intensity activity for at least 10-20 seconds or longer progressively to the point that the person starts feeling out of breath and their heart rate is accelerating. Certain activities like stair-climbing will reach vigorous intensity for most middle-aged and older people even when done at a regular pace.
What happens to the heart during short bursts of activity?
Our study was observational, not physiological. However, we believe that VILPA may be associated with maintenance of cardiorespiratory fitness as people age. A good level of cardiorespiratory fitness means that the heart, lungs and circulatory system are well prepared to transport oxygen to the muscles for energy production. Fitness is causally related to improved cardiovascular outcome.
Why are women generally more responsive to VILPA than men?
It is hard to tell why we observed much more consistent and stronger associations in women than in men. However, there is a possibility that because men’s relative VILPA intensity was only 70 per cent (versus 83 per cent for women, which is around 20 per cent higher), women exerted themselves more. Women put an increased effort into any given vigorous task, which in turn might lead to beneficial long-term lower cardiovascular risk.
What considerations should be taken into account for individuals with comorbidities?
Standard precautions, of course, apply. If you have a previous diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or have any symptoms, always consult your physician prior to making any significant changes to physical activity routines.
How does VILPA compare to other types of physical activity?
VILPA has some broad similarities with HIIT (high intensity interval training, which alternates peak activity and cooldown in minutes). It is different from traditional exercises characterised by long continuous bouts at a mostly moderate intensity like recreational walking or running.
Can this routine help meet the WHO-recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week?
VILPA bursts, no matter how short they are, fully contribute towards the 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week, recommended by WHO. A regular pattern of 4-5 minutes of VILPA daily could contribute to around 35-40 per cent of the lower recommended quota.
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