Boffins seek most effective fitness regime

Scientists at the University of Leeds have been given £60,140 by Leeds-based charity Heart Research UK to find out if exercise is better done in short, sharp bursts instead of long sessions.

Their aim is to discover if interval training – a shorter, more intensive way of exercising incorporating periods of recovery – is more enjoyable and easier to fit into people’s lifestyles.

Dr Carrie Ferguson, said: “The question is whether people prefer interval training in short or long intense bursts compared with traditional continuous moderate-intensity exercise for longer periods.”

Fewer than five per cent of the population currently achieve the government’s recommended 150 minutes of moderate–intensity physical activity each week to prevent heart disease and strokes.

Involving volunteers at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease in future, the research will see three groups of 25 people take part in one of three 12-week home-based programmes to compare their responses to different types of activity, the researchers said.