Exercising for as little as two minutes per day will increase your lifespan, a new study has suggested.
Researchers from the University of Sydney have found that skipping, walking or running for two minutes is enough to combat your risk of an early death.
During the study, the team of academics examined the exercise levels and health outcomes of more than 70,000 people in the UK.
They found that the participants who exercised for two minutes and nine seconds per day were nearly 20 per cent less at risk of dying early compared to those not exercising daily.
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Top author Dr Matthew Ahmadi said: “The results indicate accumulating vigorous activity in short bouts across the week can help us live longer.
“Given that lack of time is the most commonly reported barrier to regular physical activity, accruing small amounts sporadically during the day may be particularly attractive option for busy people.”
According to the NHS, adults should exercise vigorously for 75 minutes per week or moderately for 150 minutes per week.
As part of the study, each person taking part wore a fitness tracker on their wrist so that the researchers could measure their daily exercise uptake.
The findings have reported that the participants not taking part in any vigorous activities during the week were four per cent more at risk of dying before 2028 compared to those regularly exercising vigorously.
This risk dropped to two per cent when exercising for 10 minutes per week and to one per cent when completing vigorous activities for an hour per week, the results have revealed.
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Previous research has discovered that exercising regularly can prevent the development of other health conditions, including cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Prior studies have also reported that exercise strengthens an individual’s bones and improves their mental health.
More than 60 per cent of adults in the UK are overweight, health data has reported. Meanwhile, more than 70 per cent of the US adult population are overweight or obese, academics have said.
The findings have been published in the European Heart Journal.
