What to know about physical activity “cocktails” and why they add years to your life

You’ve heard it time and time again: Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity or exercise per day to stay fit. But what about afterward? Are you free and clear to spend the rest of the day on the couch after a few quick YouTube workouts?

Regardless of where you fall on the exercise spectrum, an international research project led by Columbia University suggests that everyone needs lots of light physical activity.

Researchers explain that numerous “physical activity cocktails” (combinations) can produce very similar health benefits, so long as those routines include enough light physical activity. In short, it isn’t enough to work out for a half-hour and then stay stagnant for hours on end.

“For decades, we’ve been telling people that the way to stay healthy is to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week,” says Keith Diaz, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral medicine and director of the exercise testing laboratory at the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“But even if you’re one of the few adults who can stick to this advice, 30 minutes represents just 2% of your entire day,” he continues. “Is it really possible that our activity habits for just 2% of the day is all that matters when it comes to health?”

Exercise does not happen in a vacuum

The main problem with exercise guidelines is that most research up until now had examined the impact of various exercises in a vacuum. For example, jogging is good for the heart. While that’s true, how much does the rest of our day influence those benefits? 

“What we don’t know is the best combination, or cocktail, of ingredients needed to prolong life,” Diaz notes.

In pursuit of some answers, the research team gathered data from six previous studies encompassing over 130,000 adults living in either the United States, Sweden, or the United Kingdom. Then, a process called compositional analysis was used to assess how various activity combinations impact mortality. These combos usually featured varying mixtures of moderate-to-vigorous exercise (brisk walking, running, other heart-rate accelerating activities), light physical activity (housework, casual walking), and sedentary behavior.

The analysis found that the benefits one reaps from 30 minutes of exercise are dependent on how the rest of the day is spent. For instance, while keeping up a regular workout routine lowered odds of earlier death by 80% for adults typically sitting less than six hours per day, others who worked out just as diligently yet sat for 11-12+ hours per day saw no mortality risk reductions. That’s a big difference.

“In other words, it is not as simple as checking off that ‘exercise’ box on your to-do list,” Diaz comments. “A healthy movement profile requires more than 30 minutes of daily exercise. Moving around and not remaining sedentary all day also matters.”

Don’t sit for too long

“Getting 30 minutes of physical activity per day, or 150 minutes per week, is what’s currently recommended, but you still have the potential to undo all that good work if you sit too long,” says lead study author Sebastien Chastin, Ph.D., professor of health behavior dynamics at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. 

Study authors also note that a combination of just a few minutes per day spent engaging in moderate to intense exercise paired with six hours of light physical activity resulted in a 30% lower risk of early death.

“Perhaps you’re a parent with young kids and you simply can’t get to the gym to exercise. But you can still have a healthy movement profile as long as you move around a lot throughout the day as you tend to your everyday activities,” Diaz says. “While there will always be sitting in our lives, as with most things in life, it’s about sitting in moderation. The key is to find the right balance of sedentary time and physical activity.”

The new fitness formula

More specifically, researchers conclude that a “three to one” approach to physical activity is the ideal formula for a long and healthy life. In other words, for every single full hour spent sitting, engage in three minutes of moderate/vigorous activity or 12 minutes of light activity. 

“Our new formula gets at the right balance between moderate-to-vigorous exercise and sitting to help people lead a longer, healthier life,” Chastin says. “The leftover hours should be spent moving around as much as possible and getting a good night’s sleep.”

Ultimately, this work shows you don’t need to hit the weights or run five miles every day to be healthy; just keeping your body moving is most important.

“This is good news for people who may not have the time, ability, or desire to engage in formal exercise. They can get health benefits from a lot of light physical activity and just a little moderate-to-vigorous activity,” Diaz concludes. “Our study shows that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to physical activity, and we get to choose which ones we like best. It may be more important to mix a movement cocktail that includes a healthy dose of exercise and light activity to take the place of sitting.”

The full study can be found here, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.