Exercise 'snacks' as good as a feast, says NZ study

People who dislike long workouts can now "snack" on exercise, secure in the knowledge they are receiving the same benefits as their more motivated friends.

A study by Auckland University, published in this month's New Zealand Medical Journal, shows people with high blood pressure receive the same benefits from short bursts of activity as from longer periods.

Just four 10-minute "snacks" of brisk walking a day are as effective at reducing blood pressure as one 40-minute brisk walk.

The study authors, Raina Elley, Emma Bagrie and Bruce Arroll, said the findings had implications for public health messages and patients with hypertension.

"Time is a major barrier for people achieving regular exercise for health benefit. However, if moderate exercise could be achieved in 'snacks' throughout the day, recommended levels of exercise for blood pressure and other health benefits may be more achievable, particularly for those people with pre-existing risk factors such as hypertension," they wrote.

- NZPA