After adjusting for MVPA and covariates, minutes and steps spent in mid LPA were significantly associated with reduced odds of having cardiovascular disease, two or more chronic conditions, and poor or fair general health, while minutes and steps in high LPA were significantly associated with reduced odds of having CVD.
Key Findings
Results
Mid light-intensity physical activity (LPA) was significantly associated with reduced odds of cardiovascular disease after adjusting for MVPA and covariates.
Both minutes and steps accumulated in mid LPA were independently associated with lower CVD odds
Adjustment was made for MVPA and other covariates, isolating the unique contribution of mid LPA
Data were drawn from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Actical accelerometer subsample, 2007 to 2019
LPA was subdivided into three intensity bands (low, mid, high) based on tertiles
Results
Mid LPA minutes and steps were significantly associated with reduced odds of having two or more chronic conditions.
This association was independent of MVPA and other covariates
Both the time-based measure (minutes) and step-based measure (steps) in mid LPA showed this association
The analysis used CHMS household, clinic, and accelerometer data collected between 2007 and 2019
Results
Mid LPA minutes and steps were significantly associated with reduced odds of poor or fair general health.
Self-rated general health was used as a health indicator in the analysis
The association held after adjusting for MVPA and covariates
Both minutes and steps in mid LPA were independently linked to better self-rated health
Results
High LPA minutes and steps were significantly associated with reduced odds of cardiovascular disease.
High LPA was defined as the highest tertile of light-intensity physical activity
The association with CVD was significant after adjusting for MVPA and covariates
High LPA was not reported as significantly associated with the other health indicators (two or more chronic conditions, poor or fair general health) in the same way as mid LPA
Results
Females and older adults accumulated fewer minutes of physical activity and fewer steps than their counterparts across mid LPA, high LPA, and MVPA intensity bands.
This pattern was consistent across multiple movement intensity levels: mid LPA, high LPA, and MVPA
Both age and sex differences were observed in the distribution of movement intensity
Data were analyzed using the Actical accelerometer subsample of the CHMS (2007 to 2019)
Results
Low LPA was not reported as significantly associated with the health outcomes examined, suggesting a dose-response relationship within the LPA spectrum.
LPA was subdivided into low, mid, and high tertiles to explore whether intensity gradations within LPA mattered for health
Significant associations were found for mid and high LPA but not low LPA for the health indicators studied
This implies that higher intensities within the light activity range confer greater health benefit
Conclusions
The study concludes that increasing daily minutes and steps in higher intensity LPA is associated with health benefits beyond those from MVPA alone.
Findings are described as consistent with previous studies showing all movement is beneficial, including LPA, particularly when it replaces sedentary behaviour
The study addresses a gap in knowledge about the 'missing middle' between sedentary behavior and moderate-intensity activity
Both time-based (minutes) and step-based metrics were used to characterize movement intensity
What This Means
This research suggests that physical activity at lower intensities — such as slow walking, light household tasks, or gentle movement — may offer meaningful health benefits beyond what we get from more vigorous exercise. The study analyzed accelerometer data from thousands of Canadian adults collected between 2007 and 2019, dividing 'light-intensity' activity into three levels (low, mid, and high) to better understand whether not all light movement is equal. The researchers found that spending more time in the middle and upper ranges of light-intensity activity was linked to lower chances of having cardiovascular disease, multiple chronic conditions, and poor self-rated health — even after accounting for the amount of moderate-to-vigorous exercise people did.
This research suggests that the intensity of light activity matters: not all low-level movement appears equally beneficial, and moving at a somewhat brisker light pace (without reaching moderate intensity) may still provide important health advantages. Older adults and women were found to accumulate less activity across nearly all intensity levels compared to younger adults and men, which may have implications for understanding health disparities in these groups.
Practically, these findings suggest that encouraging people — especially those who cannot or do not engage in vigorous exercise — to replace sitting time with more active light-intensity movement could be a worthwhile public health strategy. The study adds to a growing body of evidence that 'all movement counts,' and that the health benefits of physical activity exist on a continuum rather than beginning only at moderate intensity.
Michaud I, Colley R, Roberts K, Prince S, Betancourt M. (2026). The missing middle: Exploring light-intensity physical activity and how it relates to health among adults in Canada.. Health reports. https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202600900001-eng