August 2011: Even if you can’t squeeze in the recommended 30 minutes a day of exercise, a new study from Taiwan suggests that a little activity is still better than none at all. Just 15 minutes a day of exercise, or 90 minutes a week, was associated with a 14% lower mortality rate and an extra 3 years of projected life expectancy, compared to no exercise at all. Researchers quizzed 416,000 adults on their exercise habits and calculated their projected life expectancy, then followed participants for about 8 years. Both women and men benefited from as little as 15 minutes of daily exercise, and each extra 15 minutes of daily activity was associated with an additional 4% lower risk of death. An editorial accompanying the findings said the study “may convince many individuals that they are able to incorporate physical activity into their busy lives. – The Lancet”