Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

The exercise routine that's 3 times more beneficial than walking, according to researchers

The exercise routine that's 3 times more beneficial than walking, according to researchers

Moderate or vigorous physical activity is greater than three times more beneficial to a person's health than walking, according to new research.

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal examined the exercise habits of 2,070 adults – the slight majority of whom were women – who participated in the Framingham Heart Study, using accelerometers.

An accelerometer is a device that measures the vibration or acceleration of motion of a structure.

Cardiopulmonary exercise tests – using a face mask or mouthpiece to measure oxygen intake and the carbon dioxide expelled – were performed from 2016 to 2019 on stationary cycles for comprehensive fitness evaluations.

Participants also brought home accelerometers to wear around their waist for eight days after the study visit, according to Dr. Matthew Nayor the study's lead author and Boston University assistant professor of medicine.


The findings, the study's authors said, were largely consistent across the categories of age, sex, obesity and cardiovascular risk.

An increase of 17 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity per day or 2,312 steps per day or reductions of 249 minutes of sedentary time per day between two testing cycles corresponded with a 5% higher peak oxygen uptake, and individuals with high above-average steps or moderate-vigorous physical activity demonstrated above-average peak oxygen uptake values regardless of their sedentary time per day.

Moderate-vigorous physical activity is defined as a rate of 100 to 129 steps per minute; greater than 130 steps per minute is considered vigorous. A cadence of 60 to 99 steps per minute is considered low-level exertion.

"Our findings provide a detailed assessment of relations of different types of physical activity with multidimensional cardiorespiratory fitness measures and suggest favorable longitudinal changes in physical activity [and moderate vigorous physical activity in particular] are associated with greater objective fitness," they wrote in the study.

In a Q&A with Boston University's "The Brink," Nayor explained that the study came about as a means of better understanding the links between both physical activity and higher levels of fitness.

"We expected to find that higher amounts of moderate-vigorous physical activity, like exercise, would lead to better peak exercise performance, but we were surprised to see that higher intensity activity was also more efficient than walking in improving the body’s ability to start and sustain lower levels of exertion," he said.

"We were also uncertain whether the number of steps per day or less time spent sedentary would truly impact peak fitness levels. We found that they were associated with higher fitness levels in our study group. These findings were consistent across categories of age, sex, and health status, confirming the relevance of maintaining physical activity [throughout the day] for everyone."

The Boston Medical Center cardiologist noted that the study's conclusion also indicated that much of the negative effect of being seated and inactive may be offset by having higher levels of activity and exercise.

"Our third question was, are more recent physical activity habits more important than previous exercise habits in determining current levels of fitness? Interestingly, we found that participants with high activity values at one assessment and low values at another assessment, performed eight years apart, had equivalent levels of fitness, whether or not the high value coincided with the fitness testing," he added. "This suggests that there may be a ‘memory effect’ of previous physical activity on current levels of fitness."

Nayor said that the researchers hope the study will provide information that can be ultimately used to improve physical fitness and overall health.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×