Slow & steady might win the race - but going harder & faster could have benefits in the long run.

The largest ever study to use wearable devices has found that more intense bursts of physical activity are better for our overall health compared to lower-impact exercise over a longer time period.

The study is significant because accurately measuring lower intensity or incidental activity like daily walking was difficult before the use of wearable technology. Previously scientists used questionnaires to try to ascertain its efficacy. But new devices now allow research to take place more precisely and on a much larger scale.

More than 96,000 people participated in the most recent survey, conducted by UK Biobank at the University of Cambridge & published in Nature Medicine.

The participants wore an activity tracker on their dominant wrist for a week and their movement data was analysed.

They were able to make comparisons of the benefits between, for example, walking for an hour versus running for 30 minutes.

Dr. Tessa Strain of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, and lead author on the paper, said:

"Our results show that doing more activity of any intensity is beneficial, but that expending those calories in more intense activity is better still. By gradually building up the intensity of physical activity we do each day we can improve our future health.”

Longer-term research also looked at the link between exercise and longevity, and found that expending more energy of any intensity was strongly associated with a lower risk of death.

The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.

Moderate activity includes brisk walking or dancing, while vigorous activity incorporates aerobics or sport.

Always check with your doctor before beginning any major new exercise regime to make sure you are medically able to participate.