Do you find it hard to find time for exercise? The latest findings from Taiwan show that getting as little as 15 minutes of physical activity a day can make you live longer.

Currently, physical activity guidelines from authorities like the World Health Organization recommend that people exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week, a benchmark that’s tough for many of us.

RESEARCHERS studied more than 400,000 men and women in Taiwan for an average of eight years. The findings suggest it may take only half that recommended time — 15 minutes a day — to gain health benefits. After taking into account differences in age, weight, sex and a range of health-related indicators, they found that those15 minutes of moderate exercise increased life expectancy by three years compared to those who remained inactive.

The low exercise group also had a reduction of 10 per cent in cancer mortality compared to the couch potatoes.

Researchers say the findings are consistent with previous studies but this is the first to come up with the minimum level of exercise necessary.

They hope this will make it more attractive for inactive people to find that life-lengthening quarter hour every day.