More exercise for less fit people: New study pinpoints the exact number of minutes to sweat it out for heart health

For years, we’ve been hearing the same podcast from doctors and wellness experts: exercise is good for your heart. Yes, we’ve been made aware of that longstanding fact. But how much exercise? For how long? Deep down, a lot of us probably wonder, “How much do I actually need? Especially if I’m not already fit?”Turns out, science finally has a specific number.A new, massive study finally gets more specific, and this time, the answer is pretty ambitious.Researchers found that about 610 minutes of physical activity each week, which is around 90 minutes a day, delivers the best heart protection, especially for people who aren’t naturally fit. Even small amounts of exercise help, but folks who start out less active or become breathless more easily really see the biggest improvements when they ramp up their activity.This study is getting attention worldwide because it shakes up that old belief: quick workouts are enough to guard your heart for the long haul. Turns out, for people on the lower end of the fitness spectrum, there’s an “optimum zone” where exercise becomes especially powerful for heart health.So, what exactly did the researchers do?They tracked more than 17,000 people aged 40 to 69 over eight years, watching how much they moved, measuring their cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max), and keeping tabs on heart disease. After crunching all the data, they saw that people who hit roughly 600 to 610 minutes of activity each week had the lowest heart disease risk and lived longer compared to those who barely moved.The standard advice: 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, as suggested by the World Health Organization and NHS, is good for a “modest” reduction in risk. But for most protection, you want to aim higher: 560 minutes a week for healthy folks, and 610 minutes a week for less fit people.Now, we understand — 600+ minutes sounds like a lot. But when you break it down, it’s about an hour and a half a day. The good news is you don’t need to be a gym junkie or marathon runner. The biggest improvements showed up in folks who started out less fit — those who got winded easily, didn’t exercise much, or had pretty sedentary lives.Professor Aiden Doherty from Oxford summed it up nicely: “People who are able to do more activity have even lower risk, so every move counts.”And that’s encouraging, especially because those at the highest risk stand to benefit the most from getting active.Heart disease is still the leading killer worldwide: nearly 18 million deaths a year, according to the World Health Organization. We're talking about heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, high blood pressure — the whole spectrum. Bad habits like sitting too much, eating poorly, smoking, stressing out, and carrying extra weight all fuel the risk.Exercise fights back by strengthening your heart, boosting circulation, lowering blood pressure, cutting inflammation, balancing cholesterol, controlling blood sugar, and helping your body use oxygen more efficiently. Plus, it lifts mood, eases stress, helps you sleep, and keeps your weight reasonable, which all support your heart indirectly.What really stands out about this study is how it builds on the debate between “minimum” and “optimal” exercise. The standard guideline, which is 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity every week, is seen as the baseline. But more activity keeps paying off, especially for heart health.Of course, you don’t need to panic if you can’t squeeze in 90 minutes a day. The experts aren’t saying you’re doomed if you can’t hit that mark. Even a brisk walk for 20 to 30 minutes a day beats sitting still, and it helps your heart.At its core, this study just helps pinpoint where the benefits peak for different people. Doctors are starting to personalize advice more, tailoring recommendations for age, health, mobility, weight, and starting fitness.For people who aren’t fit, it’s important not to go from zero to hero overnight. Sports doctors warn that suddenly jumping to long daily workouts could backfire: injury, exhaustion, strained joints, and even heart strain. So the best bet is to build up gradually. Try brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, yoga, jogging, or group workouts. Mix it up and find what you enjoy.Another big takeaway from this study is the idea that exercise helps cancel out some of the risks that come from sitting too much. With jobs glued to desks, long commutes, and endless screen time, most people don’t move enough. Sitting for hours, even if you don’t look “unhealthy”, raises your odds for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and dying young.That’s why scientists aren’t just measuring gym time anymore. Total daily movement matters, from walking the dog to gardening or running errands.So, the bottom line? Your body is wired to respond to movement. Even if you’ve spent years on the sidelines or you’re getting older, it’s never too late to start. Your heart will thank you every step of the way.