Photo: Magnific
To significantly reduce the risk of diseases, you don’t necessarily need daily one-hour workouts. According to scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, just 30 minutes per week can be enough — provided the intensity is correct.
Researchers emphasize that the cardiovascular system remains the most accurate indicator of a person’s current and future health. Good cardiorespiratory fitness can reduce the risk of premature death by 40–50% and significantly lower the risk of more than 30 diseases, including stroke, hypertension, obesity, dementia, and chronic kidney disease.
At the same time, current WHO recommendations — 2.5 hours of physical activity per week — remain a barrier for many people. Norwegian researchers propose a more realistic alternative: 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week, divided into 2–4 sessions. This is roughly 4.5 minutes per day or about 10 minutes every other day.
The key factor is not duration, but intensity. A person should reach the point of noticeable breathlessness. A heart rate monitor is not required, but if available, the target is around 85% of maximum heart rate.
For those who are not used to exercising, even brisk walking can be enough to achieve the desired effect. More experienced individuals, however, will require more demanding workouts, such as 4x4 interval training or the Tabata protocol (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest).
