Taking a 5-minute walking break every hour could offer the best balance between feasibility and effectiveness for countering the health harms of prolonged sitting, researchers suggest. They found that these brief breaks boosted mood, lessened fatigue, and didn’t undermine work performance.

Researchers drew on nearly 20,000 adults participating in the interactive "Body Electric Challenge" organized by National Public Radio in the US. Participants spanned a wide range of ages, occupations, and work environments. Nearly 60% took 5-minute walking breaks at their self-selected frequency of every 30, 60, or 120 minutes for 14 days, preceded by 7 days of their usual routine.

Implementation potential was assessed using the Feasibility, Acceptability and

Appropriateness of Intervention Measures (FIM, AIM, IAM), each consisting of 4 items on a 5-point scale. A score of more than 3 was considered positive. 

All three break frequencies were rated as feasible, acceptable, and appropriate by participants. Reported fatigue and low mood decreased, while good mood increased across all three frequencies, with improvements showing a dose-response pattern.

While the 120-minute frequency showed the strongest implementation potential, it was the least effective in reducing fatigue and improving mood. The 30-minute frequency produced the strongest mood and fatigue improvements but scored low on feasibility and compliance. Hourly breaks offered the most favorable balance, and were the most popular choice, selected by nearly half of all participants.

Taking movement breaks did not negatively affect work performance. Although none of the three frequencies produced improvements in perceived work performance or engagement that met minimally important difference thresholds, all yielded small but favorable changes.

 “This large-scale study demonstrates that movement breaks are implementable and effective, supporting their potential as a public health strategy and providing new insights into feasible and effective dosing for real-world

implementation that can be integrated into existing guidelines and tested in future trials,” the authors concluded.

To download the full study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, click here