[Correspondence] From targets to minutes: making movement advice actionable

Ulf Ekelund and colleagues argue that shifting medical advice from aspirational targets to achievable marginal gains can more effectively reduce population-level health risks.

The researchers used device-based dose-response relations to calculate potential impact fractions (PIFs). This method demonstrates that the health benefit curve is steepest at the lower end of the activity distribution, meaning those who move the least gain the most from even modest increases in activity.

Prioritizing Minutes Over Activity Targets

The findings suggest a clinical shift in how healthcare providers counsel patients on exercise. Rather than focusing on fixed thresholds or targets, Ekelund and colleagues advocate for a strategy centered on initiation and progression.

This approach prioritizes the addition of minutes of movement rather than the achievement of a specific goal.

This methodology aligns with contemporary guidance that emphasizes incremental movement as a viable pathway to improved health outcomes, according to the authors.

Alignment With World Health Organization Guidance

The researchers state that their findings support public health policies designed to increase activity specifically among people at the lower end of the activity distribution.

This strategy mirrors the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, which calls for a global increase in physical activity and a reduction in sedentary behavior to combat non-communicable diseases.

By targeting the least active populations, policymakers can achieve a larger population-wide health benefit than by encouraging already active individuals to increase their intensity.

The Impact of Dose-Response Relations

The use of device-based data allows researchers to see a more accurate picture of how movement correlates with health.

Because the curve is steepest at the start, the potential impact fraction is highest for those starting from zero or near-zero activity levels.