Background Physical inactivity is a prevalent issue, particularly among women. While accumulated exercise (AE) is a promising intervention strategy, it remains unclear whether it can achieve similar health benefits to the WHO-recommended 150 min of physical activity per week. Objective This study compares the effects of the WHO-recommended aerobic exercise dose (150 min/week) as AE versus moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on body composition, metabolic syndrome risk, atherosclerosis, aerobic capacity, and muscle strength in sedentary young women. Methods Sixty young women were randomized into two groups: the AE group (n = 30) and the MICE group (n = 30). Both groups performed 150 min of weekly exercise: AE consisted of three short daily sessions, while MICE involved three longer sessions per week. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, with body composition, muscle strength, metabolic syndrome risk, atherosclerosis, and aerobic capacity measured before and after the intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (time × group) was used to analyze training effects, with Bonferroni post hoc tests. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (<InlineEquation ID="IEq1"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{\varvec{\upeta\:}}_{\mathbf{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>) or Cohen’s d, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results Both AE and MICE groups showed significant pre-to-post changes in body weight (<InlineEquation ID="IEq2"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.46), BMI (<InlineEquation ID="IEq3"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.45), body fat percentage (<InlineEquation ID="IEq4"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.70), waist-to-hip ratio (<InlineEquation ID="IEq5"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation> =0.54), kneeling push-ups (<InlineEquation ID="IEq6"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.85), long-standing jumps (<InlineEquation ID="IEq7"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation> =0.80), sit-ups (<InlineEquation ID="IEq8"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.31), body-weight squats (<InlineEquation ID="IEq9"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.85), V̇O₂max (<InlineEquation ID="IEq10"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.54), TG (<InlineEquation ID="IEq11"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.35), HDL (<InlineEquation ID="IEq12"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.28), TC (<InlineEquation ID="IEq13"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.10), and atherogenic index (<InlineEquation ID="IEq14"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.52) (all p< 0.05). No significant pre-to-post changes were found for SBP (<InlineEquation ID="IEq15"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.01), DBP (<InlineEquation ID="IEq16"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.01), LDL (<InlineEquation ID="IEq17"><EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)</EquationSource></InlineEquation>=0.001) (all p>0.05). These pre-to-post changes were not significantly different between the AE and MICE groups for any outcome (all p>0.05). The adherence rates were 94.9% in AE and 90.7% in MICE. Conclusion AE and MICE showed similar modest pre-post changes, with no significant between-group differences. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, given the small sample size and absence of a control group. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted before AE can be recommended as an alternative exercise strategy.

150 minutes weekly accumulated exercise as an efficient alternative to continuous exercise: evidence from a randomized trial in young women

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2026年7月16日

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Tong Jiang,
Xin Zheng,
Ziren Zhao,
Tao Zhong,
Fangyuan Zhao,
Jing Ai,
Kaixiang Zhou,
Nijiao Deng

摘要

Background

Physical inactivity is a prevalent issue, particularly among women. While accumulated exercise (AE) is a promising intervention strategy, it remains unclear whether it can achieve similar health benefits to the WHO-recommended 150 min of physical activity per week.

Objective

This study compares the effects of the WHO-recommended aerobic exercise dose (150 min/week) as AE versus moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on body composition, metabolic syndrome risk, atherosclerosis, aerobic capacity, and muscle strength in sedentary young women.

Methods

Sixty young women were randomized into two groups: the AE group (n = 30) and the MICE group (n = 30). Both groups performed 150 min of weekly exercise: AE consisted of three short daily sessions, while MICE involved three longer sessions per week. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks, with body composition, muscle strength, metabolic syndrome risk, atherosclerosis, and aerobic capacity measured before and after the intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (time × group) was used to analyze training effects, with Bonferroni post hoc tests. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta squared (\(\:{\varvec{\upeta\:}}_{\mathbf{p}}^{2}\)) or Cohen’s d, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

Both AE and MICE groups showed significant pre-to-post changes in body weight (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.46), BMI (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.45), body fat percentage (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.70), waist-to-hip ratio (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\) =0.54), kneeling push-ups (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.85), long-standing jumps (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\) =0.80), sit-ups (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.31), body-weight squats (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.85), V̇O₂_max (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.54), TG (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.35), HDL (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.28), TC (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.10), and atherogenic index (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.52) (all p< 0.05). No significant pre-to-post changes were found for SBP (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.01), DBP (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.01), LDL (\(\:{{\upeta\:}}_{\text{p}}^{2}\)=0.001) (all p>0.05). These pre-to-post changes were not significantly different between the AE and MICE groups for any outcome (all p>0.05). The adherence rates were 94.9% in AE and 90.7% in MICE.

Conclusion

AE and MICE showed similar modest pre-post changes, with no significant between-group differences. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, given the small sample size and absence of a control group. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted before AE can be recommended as an alternative exercise strategy.