Least fit people need to do more exercise than fittest to get same benefit study

Cardiorespiratory fitness and weekly moderate-to-vigorous activity jointly relate to cardiovascular risk. Data from over 17,000 adults in the UK Biobank measured baseline cardiorespiratory fitness using a cycle test estimating VO2 max and recorded typical activity with a fitness tracker for one week. Participants aged 40–69 were followed for about eight years, during which cardiovascular incidents occurred. Achieving at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity was linked with an 8–9% reduction in cardiovascular risk. Additional activity reduced risk further. People with the lowest fitness required about 30–50 extra minutes per week to achieve similar risk reductions as the fittest. Larger risk reductions required substantially more activity for the least fit than for the most fit.

"Researchers examined data from more than 17,000 British adults taking part in the UK Biobank study. They completed a cycle test to measure their baseline cardiorespiratory fitness (estimated VO2 max) and wore a fitness tracker for a week to record typical exercise levels. The adults, aged 40-69 were tracked for an average of eight years, during which there were more than 1,200 cardiovascular incidents, including heart attack, atrial fibrillation stroke and heart failure."

"The NHS advises adults to do at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week, such as brisk walking, cycling or running. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found achieving this guideline of two and a half hours' exercise was associated with a 8-9% reduced cardiovascular risk. Given that large proportions of the population do not meet even this benchmark, the primary public health message remains straightforward: achieving 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity delivers meaningful cardiovascular protection regardless of fitness level."

"The research also calculates that more exercise lowered the risk even further, but that those with the lowest fitness needed about 30-50 extra minutes' exercise a week to obtain the same benefits. To achieve a 20% reduced risk, the least fit needed to do 370 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week, whereas those with the highest fitness levels only needed 340 minutes. To reduce the odds of cardiovascular events by more than 30%, the least fit would need to do more than 10 hours (610 minutes) while the most fit would have to do just over nine hours (560 minutes)."

"This finding highlights the steeper challenge faced by deconditioned populations, the research concludes. Current moderate-to-vigorous physica"

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