People who spend much of their day sitting may still improve their physical fitness and metabolic health by incorporating a few minutes of exercise into their daily routine, according to a new study.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, suggests that short periods of physical activity may improve cardiorespiratory fitness and help regulate blood glucose among people who are otherwise largely sedentary.
The approach could be particularly useful for people who struggle to find enough time for longer exercise sessions during their daily routines.
Study Analyses 22 Research Reports
Researchers analysed data from 22 previous studies involving 994 predominantly sedentary participants.
The participants followed exercise programmes ranging from one day to 12 weeks, with different types and durations of physical activity included in the studies.
The analysis found that even brief bouts of exercise were associated with improvements in oxygen uptake and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Potential Benefits for Blood Sugar
The researchers also found that short-duration physical activity could improve measures of blood glucose and blood lipids, potentially supporting better blood sugar regulation.
However, the analysis did not find significant improvements in some other measures, including body fat, muscle mass, insulin levels or muscle strength.
The findings suggest that short bouts of physical activity may help reduce some of the health risks associated with prolonged sitting, particularly by improving fitness and glucose regulation.
Short Exercise Is Not a Replacement for Regular Activity
Despite the encouraging findings, researchers emphasized that brief exercise sessions should not be viewed as a replacement for longer-term physical activity.
Current health recommendations generally advise adults to complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, which provides broader and more sustained health benefits.
For people who spend long periods sitting, however, adding short periods of movement throughout the day may be a practical way to become more active and gradually build healthier habits.