Study Says Adults May Need 600 Minutes of Weekly Exercise for Heart Protection

A new study published May 19 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that adults may need to exercise nearly four times more than current recommendations to significantly lower their risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers found that 560 to 610 minutes of aerobic activity per week may be necessary to achieve meaningful cardiovascular protection.

According to Healthline, researchers at Macao Polytechnic University in China reached those conclusions after analyzing data from slightly more than 17,000 participants in the UK Biobank study collected between 2013 and 2015. The average age of participants was 57 years. About 96% were white and 56% were female. Each participant wore a wrist device for seven consecutive days to record their typical movement levels and completed a cycle test to measure estimated maximum oxygen consumption, known as VO2 max. Researchers also factored in smoking status, alcohol intake, diet, body mass index, resting heart rate, and blood pressure.

Over a follow-up period of nearly eight years, 1,233 cardiovascular events were recorded among the group. These included 874 cases of atrial fibrillation and 156 other events. Researchers noted that adults with lower fitness levels may need to exercise even more than their fitter peers to achieve the same level of heart protection.

The American Heart Association currently recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week as a baseline. The study authors argued that this standard advice may need to shift toward personalized targets based on an individual's fitness level. "Current [moderate exercise] guidelines provide a universal but modest safety margin, whereas optimal cardiovascular protection may require substantially higher activity volumes," the researchers wrote.

Not all experts agreed with the study's specific numbers. Keith Diaz, PhD, a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, a certified exercise physiologist, and a volunteer member of the AHA's Physical Activity Science Committee, said the broader finding was consistent with existing research but urged caution about the specific targets. Diaz was not involved in the study.

"This study reinforces what a large body of prior research has already shown: higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease," Diaz said. He added: "However, I would urge caution in interpreting the specific recommendation that people may need three to four times the current physical activity guidelines to substantially reduce heart disease risk."

The study's authors acknowledged that the findings point to a need for a more individualized approach to exercise guidance rather than a single universal standard. The research was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on May 19, 2026.