Half an hour of brisk walking five times a week may make people feel better, but is unlikely to stave off an early death from heart disease, write researchers in the journal Heart.

The team from Belfast’s Queen’s University and The Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cardiff monitored almost 2,000 men from Caerphilly in Wales, who were aged between 45 and 59, over 10 years.

The heaviest levels of physical activity were associated with the lowest rates of death from heart disease and all causes, while moderate and light levels of activity had no consistent impact on death rates.

The level of exercise taken was the critical factor in protecting against heart disease, rather than the amount of energy expended, say researchers.

The 20 per cent of men who regularly engaged in heavy exercise but only expended 54 Kcals daily were 47 per cent less likely to die early and 62 per cent less likely to die of heart disease.

The men expending between 16 and 53 Kcals a day were 16 per cent less likely to die early and 27 per cent less likely to die of heart disease.

However, men who engaged in light to moderate exercise with an average energy expenditure of 343 Kcals a day – the equivalent of 90 minutes of walking for pleasure – were not protected from the risk of early death.

The study authors say that while regular exercise has a profound benefit for health, only vigorous exercise – such as jogging, hiking, stair climbing, swimming, racquet sports and heavy digging – protects against the risk of premature death from heart disease.

However, Belinda Linden, head of medical information at the British Heart Foundation, said current guidelines recommending moderate exercise had been developed through a consensus of national and international research.

“Whilst we recognise that vigorous activity will provide maximum cardiac protection and promote physical fitness – there is evidence that the “five times thirty minutes” moderate intensity activity still appears to provide health benefits” she said.

“There is still not enough evidence to suggest that the current messages are not appropriate.”

Source: Heart

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