In the Stand Up & Eat blog, we often focus on the benefits of not being sedentary (that’s the “Stand Up” part).  We also have reminded blog readers time and time again that moderate-intensity physical activity provides significant health benefits.  Here is a sampling of several moderate-intensity focused blogs:

Moderate Means What?

Walking = Calories Burned = Less Weight Loss

Be Active Your Way


So if there is any area that we have skimped a bit is on the value of vigorous-intensity physical activity. 

The reason we bring up the importance of vigorous-intensity is that there is yet another cancer-related study that suggests that 30 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per day may dramatically reduce risk of developing cancer in men1.  In this particular study, researchers assessed the physical activity level of over 2,500 middle-aged Finnish men.  They then followed the men for an average of 16.7 years and determined that 181 died of cancer.  Compared to men who exercised at a light-intensity level for at least 30 minutes per day the men who exercised at least 30 minutes at a moderate- to vigorous-intensity level had a 37% percent reduction in risk of dying of cancer. 

The take-away message from this study (and the focus of the Stand Up & Eat web site) is:

  • If you are inactive – just move.
  • If you are doing a little physical activity, make sure you are doing it at a moderate-intensity.
  • If you are regularly active at a moderate-intensity, consider increasing the intensity of some of your physical activities to the vigorous level.  Step up your pace, climb hills and steps, or increase the resistance on your exercise equipment.

As  reminder, here is a practical guide for knowing how different exercise intensities vary:

Light – you can sing or talk easily while exercising (e.g., strolling)

Moderate – you cannot sing but you can still talk fairly easily while exercising (e.g., walking briskly)

Vigorous – you cannot sing or talk while exercising (e.g., jogging, running)

What do you do for vigorous physical activity?

1 Laukkanen JA et al.  Intensity of leisure-time physical activity and cancer mortality in men.  British Journal of Sports Medicine.  2009 JULY 28.  (Epub ahead of print)