Higher amounts of light physical activity were beneficially associated with estimated maximal cardiorespiratory fitness and perceived health and quality of life regardless of individual fitness level, while absolute and relative intensities of physical activity offer different but complementary utilities.
Key Findings
Results
Participants spent on average 3.6 hours per day in absolute light physical activity (LPA) and 48 minutes per day in absolute moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
Study population was 20-69-year-old adults (N = 3587, 62% women) from pooled cross-sectional FINFIT 2017 and 2021 studies
PA was measured by a triaxial hip-worn accelerometer
Absolute LPA was defined as 1.5-2.9 METs and absolute MVPA as ≥3 METs
In relative terms, participants spent 4.1 hours in LPA and 19 minutes in MVPA, using VO2R-based cut points
Results
Participants with the poorest cardiorespiratory fitness accumulated less absolute and relative LPA, less absolute MVPA, and more relative MVPA than those with better fitness.
Fitness was assessed by predicted VO2max using the 6-minute walk test and analysed in sex- and age-group-specific tertiles
Differences across fitness groups were statistically significant (p < 0.001)
Those with poorer fitness accumulated more relative MVPA, reflecting that the same absolute activities represent higher relative intensities for less fit individuals
Results
Longer daily times of both absolute and relative LPA were associated with better perceived health, better mental and physical quality of life, and fewer depressive symptoms.
Associations were statistically significant (p < 0.05)
Data were analysed by general linear model (GLM) multivariate analysis adjusted for sex and age-groups
Outcomes other than VO2max were self-reported
This beneficial association held for both absolute (1.5-2.9 METs) and relative (<40% VO2R) definitions of LPA
Results
Absolute MVPA was positively associated with predicted VO2max, perceived health, quality of life, and fewer depressive symptoms, whereas relative MVPA showed the opposite or no association with these outcomes.
Relative MVPA was defined as ≥40% of oxygen uptake reserve (VO2R)
Relative MVPA indicating the opposite or no association reflects that individuals who spend more time in relative MVPA tend to have lower absolute fitness
Associations for absolute MVPA were statistically significant (p < 0.05)
This divergence highlights the complementary but different utilities of absolute versus relative intensity classifications
Results
Both absolute and relative LPA were associated with better predicted VO2max regardless of individual fitness level.
VO2max was predicted using the 6-minute walk test and categorized into sex- and age-group-specific tertiles
The beneficial association of LPA with cardiorespiratory fitness held across fitness levels
Cut points for relative LPA were ≥1.5 METs and <40% of VO2R
This finding suggests LPA may have health-related potential independent of an individual's fitness status
Results
Using relative versus absolute intensity thresholds results in meaningfully different estimates of time spent in LPA and MVPA.
Absolute LPA: 3.6 hours/day versus relative LPA: 4.1 hours/day
Absolute MVPA: 48 minutes/day versus relative MVPA: 19 minutes/day
The discrepancy is largest for MVPA, where relative intensity produces approximately 60% less time classified as MVPA compared to absolute intensity
This divergence has practical implications for how physical activity guidelines and health associations are interpreted
What This Means
This research suggests that even low-intensity physical activity — such as slow walking, light housework, or casual movement — is beneficially linked to better cardiovascular fitness, self-rated health, quality of life, and fewer depressive symptoms in Finnish adults aged 20 to 69. Using data from nearly 3,600 people who wore hip accelerometers to objectively measure their movement, the study found that spending more time in light physical activity each day was consistently associated with better health outcomes, and this held true regardless of how fit a person was to begin with. This is notable because most physical activity research focuses on moderate-to-vigorous exercise, while light activity has been relatively understudied.
The study also highlights an important technical issue in how physical activity is measured and categorized. When physical activity intensity is defined in absolute terms (fixed metabolic equivalents, or METs), more vigorous activity is associated with better health. However, when intensity is defined relative to an individual's own fitness level, the picture changes — more time in 'relatively vigorous' activity was not associated with better health, or even showed the opposite pattern. This is partly because people with lower fitness reach relatively high intensity thresholds during activities that would be considered moderate for fitter individuals, meaning they accumulate more 'relative MVPA' despite poorer health outcomes.
This research suggests that encouraging more light physical activity throughout the day could be a realistic and beneficial target for a broad range of people, including those who are less fit or unable to exercise vigorously. It also suggests that when researchers and health professionals assess physical activity, accounting for individual fitness level (relative intensity) alongside standard absolute measures may provide a more complete and accurate picture of health-related physical activity.
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Husu P, Vähä-Ypyä H, Tokola K, Nuuttila O, Sievänen H, Heinonen I, et al.. (2026). Associations of light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with health-related outcomes: findings from the FINFIT 2017 and 2021 studies.. Annals of medicine. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2026.2728180