Ten minutes of high intensity exercise can improve heart health in teens

A new study has revealed that short and high intensity exercise can reduce an adolescent's risk of developing a heart condition.

Lead researcher Alan Barker and his University of Exeter team have demonstrated that performing eight to ten minutes of high intensity interval exercise thrice a week can improve important markers of cardiovascular health.

In the study, the researchers asked six girls and seven boys aged between 13 and 14 to carry out six high intensity workouts over two weeks.

They were asked to cycle in high speed bursts of one minute, with a 75 second break in between. They started with eight bursts and built up to ten over two weeks.

The results showed that the training improved both blood vessel function and the brain's ability to control the beating of the heart. Both of these measures are considered to be important markers of cardiovascular disease

Barker said the study indicated that providing the intensity was high, health benefits were achievable with just eight to ten minutes of exercise.

The study is published in the Journal American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology.