10 minutes of exercise twice a week can cut women's heart risk

Exercising vigorously for just ten minutes twice a week can cut women's heart disease risk.

Women who did strenuous activity twice a week were 20 per cent less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases such as heart problems or stroke, than inactive women according to research from Oxford University.

Those who did moderate activity exercise such as gardening or cycling, four to six times per week had a similar reduction in their risk of heart disease.

Any physical activity at all contributed to lowering risk compared with being sedentary. The research published in the journal Circulation, is based on data from over a million women without prior cardiovascular disease who participated in the UK Million Women Study that began in 1996. 

Lead Author Dr Miranda Armstrong said

"...the research showed that every effort to be physically active could contribute to improving heart health."

This evidence reinforces that you don't need to run marathons or spend hours on boring activities to improve your heart health. Playing Primal Tag twice a week for 10 minutes would meet the requirement of vigorous activity great for heart health.

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How much physical activity is recommended for adults?

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References:

Frequent physical activity may not reduce vascular disease risk as much as moderate activity: large prospective study of women in the United kingdom., Armstrong ME, Green J, Reeves GK, Beral V, Cairns BJ; Million Women Study, Circulation 2015 Feb;131:721-9.