运动对健康有百利而无一害，能降低患心脏病、中风、糖尿病和癌症的风险。世界卫生组织（WHO）建议每周至少进行150分钟的中等强度运动，并进行两次力量训练。然而，只有不到一半的美国成年人能达到最基础的心血管运动推荐量。近年来的研究表明，即使是极少量的运动也能带来显著的益处。2015年一项针对66万美国人、平均随访期达14年的元分析表明，运动量低于世卫组织最低标准的人群，其死亡率仍比完全不运动的人低20%。运动量达到指南一至两倍的人群死亡风险降低了31%，而运动量达到两至三倍的爱好者死亡风险降低了37%。

尽管早期的研究依赖于不太可靠的自我报告，但使用可穿戴传感器的最新研究证实了微小、无规律的身体活动所具有的强大功效。2022年的一项研究分析了2.5万名不进行有组织锻炼的英国人的数据，这些人日常会进行“剧烈间歇性生活方式身体活动”（VILPA），例如跑着赶公交车或爬陡峭的楼梯。尽管参与者每天进行VILPA的中位数仅为4.4分钟，但在随后平均七年的监测期内，他们的全因死亡率降低了高达30%，即便在研究人员排除了因身体健康才更容易进行VILPA的因果倒置可能性之后，这一关联依然存在。

虽然VILPA如此有益的具体生物学机制尚不清楚，但科学家推测其作用方式与高强度间歇训练（HIIT）非常相似。这一证据促使研究人员开始倡导“运动零食”——即可以轻松融入日常生活的短暂身体活动，例如在等水烧开时做几次自重深蹲，或在枯燥的视频会议期间做几次开合跳。这些简短的活动为时间紧迫或不愿去健身房的人提供了一种实用且高效的选择，证实了任何形式的身体活动都比之前想象的要有用得多。

Exercise is universally beneficial, reducing the risks of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and cancer. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, plus two strength-training sessions. However, less than half of American adults meet the cardiovascular minimum. Recent research suggests that even minimal activity yields significant benefits. A 2015 meta-analysis of 660,000 Americans over a 14-year average follow-up period showed that those who performed less than the WHO minimum still enjoyed a 20% lower mortality rate compared to those who did nothing. Those meeting one to two times the guideline reduced their risk by 31%, while individuals doing two to three times the guidelines reduced their risk by 37%.

While early studies relied on unreliable self-reporting, newer research using wearable sensors supports the power of tiny, irregular bursts of physical activity. A 2022 study analyzed data from 25,000 British individuals who did no structured exercise but engaged in "vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity" (VILPA), such as running for a bus or climbing stairs. Even with a tiny median duration of just 4.4 minutes of VILPA per day, participants experienced up to a 30% reduction in all-cause mortality over a subsequent seven-year monitoring period, even after researchers adjusted for potential reverse causality.

The precise biological mechanism behind the efficacy of VILPA remains under investigation, though scientists hypothesize it functions similarly to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This evidence has led researchers to promote "exercise snacks"—brief bursts of physical activity that can be easily integrated into daily routines, such as doing squats while waiting for a kettle to boil or performing star jumps during online meetings. These small bursts offer a practical and highly effective alternative for time-pressed or gym-shy individuals, confirming that any physical activity is far more beneficial than previously assumed.

Source: How little exercise can you get away with?

Subtitle: Even tiny bursts of activity have measurable benefits

Dateline: Jul 09, 2026 05:22 AM