How many minutes of daily exercise lowers heart disease risk? Here’s the science

This study brings good news for busy people limited on time.

By Steph Green Published February 19, 2025 2:00 PM

Man doing skull crushers exercise with dumbbells close up on bench — MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

The three main risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. According to the CDC, around half, or 47%, of the people in the United States have at least one of these three risk factors. Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also increase the risk, including an unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol use, and physical inactivity. On the other hand, previous research reveals how certain lifestyle factors, such as consuming a healthier diet and getting sufficient exercise, can lower your risk and improve your heart health.

In a recent study, researchers wanted to explore how many minutes of daily exercise lowers heart disease risk. Let’s delve into the research.

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The study

Man working with remote personal trainer doing virtual exercise class at home working out yoga plank pushup — Mikhail Nilov / Pexels

In the study recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers reviewed data from 196 published articles to determine the impact of exercise on health and cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. The study involved data from 94 cohorts with more than 30 million participants.

The results

man wearing black t shirt exercising outdoors outside with blue steps — Gabin Vallet / Unsplash

The study revealed that just 11 minutes of daily exercise or 75 minutes a week significantly reduces the risk of early mortality and can help prevent heart disease, stroke, and some cancers, compared to being sedentary.

Here are the interesting results:

Those who engaged in 75 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week were 7% less likely to develop cancer and 17% less likely to get heart disease.
Those who worked out for 150 minutes per week had a 27% lower risk of heart disease and a 12% lower risk of cancer.
Higher activity levels were linked to lower mortality risks.
Exercise had a more significant impact on certain types of cancers, including myeloid leukemia, myeloma, head and neck cancers, and gastric cardia cancers.

The takeaway

Man doing HIIT workout. — Airam Dato-on / Pexels

The benefits of exercise are widely known by now, and we’ve also known that exercising regularly can help prolong your life and reduce your risk of a range of chronic health conditions. The good news for busy people is that dedicating just 11 minutes to exercise a day or 75 minutes total every week is enough to reduce your risk, and if you can work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week, that’s even better.

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Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

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