The Use of Short Bouts as a Paradigm Shift in The Design of Physical Activity Interventions

The positive health effects of physical activity have been widely demonstrated. Common exercise recommendations suggest that people should do 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, plus strength training twice weekly. Most recent and present research has focused on the role of the duration of the individual physical activities (bouts) in health. This article provides an overview of the current state of scientific work on so-called short bouts in the promotion of physical activity and related concepts. The article presents the findings from preclinical and clinical populations in healthy individuals and specifically the elderly. Individual focal points are given that have recently been more frequently addressed scientifically (e. g., endpoints of glucose metabolism).