How much brief, sporadic physical activity is needed for healthy benefits? A UK Biobank Study

Current physical activity guidelines recommend 150–300 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for health benefits. However, whether this recommended dose applies to brief, sporadic MVPA remains unclear. We analyzed data from 96,065 UK Biobank participants whose MVPA was objectively measured by accelerometers. A machine learning algorithm, trained on ground-truth camera data, was employed to differentiate between sporadic and bouted MVPA. Sporadic MVPA was inversely associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease incidence in an L-shaped manner, leveling off at 150 minutes per week. Conversely, there was a curvilinear dose-response relationship between bouted MVPA and health outcomes, with no clear threshold. In joint analysis, optimal health benefits were observed in individuals who incorporated both bouted and sporadic MVPA, rather than merely accumulating additional sporadic MVPA beyond 150 minutes. In conclusion, meeting the minimum physical activity recommendation through accumulating brief, sporadic MVPA is supported.