VILPA: The Secret to a Longer Life Could Be in Your Daily Routine

VILPA was associated with a 65 percent reduction in cardiovascular death risk and 49 percent reduction in cancer-related death risk

New research finds that just three to four one-minute bursts of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) each day is associated with large reductions in the risk of premature death, particularly from cardiovascular disease.

These are exciting new findings for those who struggle to fit in structured exercises to a busy schedule. VILPA is a new term for the very short bouts of vigorous activity (up to one to two minutes) we might do with gusto each day, like running for the bus, running up the stairs in place of the escalator, bursts of power walking between or during meetings or playing high-energy games with the kids.

The study, published in Nature Medicine, is the first to accurately measure the health benefits of VILPA. It found that people who did VILPA had a 40% reduction in all-cause and cancer-related mortality, and a 49% reduction in death related to cardiovascular disease.

The researchers say that the benefits of VILPA are similar to those of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), but VILPA is specifically lifestyle related physical activity rather than planned exercise sessions and thus can be incorporated into daily life without any time commitment, preparation, or special skills.

It’s important to note that the study is observational, meaning it cannot directly establish cause and effect. However, the researchers took rigorous statistical measures to minimise the possibility that results are explained by differences in health status between participants.

What was discovered about VILPA as part of daily life?

The study found that the majority of participants aged 40 and over did some VILPA, with 93 percent of all VILPA bouts lasting up to 1 minute. On average each day participants did eight VILPA bouts of up to 1 minute each, totalling 6 minutes a day. On average each VILPA bout lasted around 45 seconds.

The most impressive gains were seen when comparing those with around four to five bouts per day to those with no VILPA. However, larger benefits were found with larger VILPA amounts, suggesting the more the better. The maximum of 11 bouts per day was associated with a 65 percent reduction in cardiovascular death risk and 49 percent reduction in cancer-related death risk, compared to no VILPA.

Interestingly, a comparative analysis of the vigorous activity of 62,000 people who regularly engaged in planned, structured exercise found comparable results. This implies that whether the vigorous activity is done as part of structured exercise or housework do not compromise the health benefits.

How was the study conducted?

Researchers used wrist-worn tracker data from UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database, to measure the activity of over 25,000 ‘non-exercisers’, participants who self-reported that they do not do any sports or exercise during leisure time. By this method, the researchers could conclude that any activity recorded by this group was incidental physical activity done as part of everyday living.

The team then accessed health data that allowed them to follow participants over seven years.

Implications for physical activity guidelines

The international team from the University of Sydney, the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute (UK), University College London (UK), University of Glasgow (UK), University of Southern Denmark and McMaster University (Canada) call for physical activity guidelines and clinical advice to be updated to keep pace with this evolving area.

Current global guidelines imply that the health benefits of vigorous-intensity physical activity are gained through structured physical activity such as sport or running during leisure time. It was only in 2020 that the WHO global Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, co-chaired by Professor Stamatakis, acknowledged that ‘all activity counts’ and the stipulation that activity should be accumulated in 10-minute bouts was removed.

“Our previous knowledge about the health benefits of vigorous physical activity comes from questionnaire-based studies, but questionnaires cannot measure short bouts of any intensity,” said Professor Stamatakis.

“The ability of wearable technology to reveal “micropatterns” of physical activity, such as VILPA, holds huge potential for understanding the most feasible and time-efficient ways people can benefit from physical activity, no matter whether it is done for recreation or as part of daily living.”

How to incorporate VILPA into your daily routine

Here are a few tips for incorporating more VILPA into your daily routine:

• As an individual:

  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

  • Park further away from your destination and walk the extra distance.

  • Take a brisk walk during your lunch break.

  • Play with your kids or pets outside.

  • Take a short break from work to walk around or do some stretching exercises.

• As a leader:

  • Lead by example. One of the best ways to encourage employees to adopt VILPA is to lead by example. Make sure to get up and move around throughout the day, and take advantage of opportunities to do VILPA, such as taking the stairs instead of the escalator/lift, walking to meetings instead of emailing, holding walking meetings when appropriate, or taking a brisk walk during your lunch break.

  • Create a culture of wellness. Let your employees know that you value their health and well-being, and that you encourage them to take breaks and get moving throughout the day. This could involve setting up a break room with healthy snacks and drinks, or offering employees a certain amount of paid time off each day to use for physical activity.

  • Create a supportive community. Encourage employees to support each other in their efforts to be more active. This could involve creating a company-wide fitness challenge, or starting a walking club or running group.

Even a few minutes of VILPA each day can make a difference in your overall health and longevity. So get moving and start incorporating VILPA into your daily routine today!

Additional thoughts

The findings of this study are particularly encouraging for people who struggle to incorporate structured exercise into their busy day. VILPA is a convenient and accessible way to get the health benefits of vigorous physical activity without having to spend a lot of time or money.

In addition, the study's findings suggest that even small amounts of VILPA can make a big difference in terms of health outcomes. This is good news for people who are just starting out with exercise, or who are looking for ways to fit more activity into their busy schedules.

However, it is important to note that the study is observational, meaning that it cannot prove that VILPA causes a reduction in mortality risk. It is possible that other factors, such as diet or lifestyle, could explain the association.

More research is needed to confirm the findings of this study and to better understand the mechanisms through which VILPA reduces mortality risk. However, the existing evidence suggests that VILPA is a safe and effective way to improve overall health and longevity.