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Just one hour of exercise a week could be enough to reduce the risk of premature death, the Daily Mail reports.

Despite public health campaigns urging a daily 20-minute workout, experts say people should focus on the benefits of small increases in physical activity.

They say the weekly target of 150 minutes of ‘moderate intensity activity’ is beyond the reach of some, especially older people.

Articles published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggest that instead, people and public health bodies should focus on the benefits of small increases in daily physical activity.

More than a third (35.6 per cent) of adults worldwide are not sufficiently active, despite proof that too much sitting increases the risk of chronic diseases.

Dr Philipe de Souto Barreto, of Toulouse University Hospital, writing in the British Medical Journal, said improvements can be achieved by doing less.

A study of more than 250,000 adults aged 50 to 71 in the US found less than one hour of moderate physical activity a week or 20 minutes or more of vigorous activity once a week reduced the risk of premature death by 15 per cent and 23 per cent respectively.

And a review of six studies found a 19 per cent decrease in the risk of mortality among people walking for one to 74 minutes a week compared with people doing nothing.

A second paper points out older adults find it difficult to meet moderate and vigorous exercise targets.

Also in the BMJ, Professor Phillip Sparling, of the Georgia Institute of Technology, said the 150-minute recommendation ‘may mean the benefits of lesser amounts of exercise are overlooked.’