I-Min Lee

I-Min Lee
Born1960 (age 65–66)
Penang, Malaysia
Alma materNational University of Singapore (MBBS) Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (MPH, ScD)
Known forPhysical activity epidemiology, global health
Scientific career
FieldsEpidemiology, Physical activity and health
InstitutionsHarvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Doctoral advisorRalph S. Paffenbarger Jr.

I-Min Lee (born 1960) is a Malaysian epidemiologist, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the effects of physical activity on health and well-being.[1][2][3][4]

Early life and education

Lee was born in 1960 in Penang, Malaysia. She earned her MBBS degree in Medicine and Surgery at the National University of Singapore in 1984.[5] She completed a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at the Harvard School of Public Health in 1987 and a Doctor of Science (ScD) in Epidemiology in 1991 under the supervision of Ralph S. Paffenbarger Jr.[6]

She also served as a medical officer in primary health care and research at the Ministry of Health, Singapore.[7]

Academic career

Lee began her faculty career as assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1993, was promoted to associate professor in 2001, and became full professor in 2012.[1] She simultaneously held positions as assistant, associate, and full professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Since 1993, she has been affiliated as an epidemiologist with Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.[8][9]

Research contributions

Lee has published over 600 scientific articles.[10]

Physical activity and prevention of non-communicable diseases

Lee's early work, including research from the Harvard Alumni Health Study initiated by her doctoral advisor, examined the relationship between physical activity and cancer risk.[11] She later investigated the role of physical activity in preventing non-communicable diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, various cancers, and Parkinson’s disease, and in enhancing longevity.[12] Her findings have informed guidelines, including the 1995 CDC/ACSM recommendations, the 1996 Surgeon General’s report, and the 2008 and 2018 US Physical Activity Guidelines.[13][14][15]

Dose-response relationships

Lee conducted studies to quantify the amount, intensity, and patterns of physical activity needed for health benefits. Her research examined whether activity can be accumulated in multiple sessions, if non-regular activity patterns provide benefits, the effects of sedentary behavior, and whether physical activity offsets inactivity-related risks.[16][17]

Objective measurement of activity

Starting in 2011, Lee led large-scale studies using accelerometers to objectively measure physical activity and sedentary behavior among approximately 18,000 women in the Women’s Health Study.[18] These studies improved understanding of step count, intensity, and activity patterns in relation to health outcomes.[19][20][21]

Small doses of physical activity

Lee’s research demonstrated that lower levels of physical activity, such as 4,000 steps/day, are associated with reduced mortality risk in older women, with benefits plateauing around 7,500 steps/day.[22] Her findings challenge the conventional "10,000 steps/day" recommendation and support guidelines emphasizing that even small amounts of activity are beneficial.[23][24][25]

Global burden of inactivity

Lee was lead author on a 2012 The Lancet study estimating the global impact of physical inactivity on mortality and disease burden, highlighting that inactivity contributes to as many deaths worldwide as smoking.[26][27]

Honours and recognition

  • Merit Scholarship (Public Service Commission, Singapore), 1979–1984
  • Elected Member, American Epidemiological Society, 1995
  • Young Epidemiologist Award, Royal Society of Medicine, United Kingdom, 1999
  • Elected Fellow, American College of Sports Medicine, 1999
  • William G. Anderson Award, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 2007
  • American College of Sports Medicine Citation Award, 2011[28]
  • Clipp-Speer Visiting Professor, Duke University Medical Center, 2014
  • Helen LeBaron Hilton Chair, Iowa State University, 2016–2017
  • Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2024

References

  1. ^ a b "I-Min Lee | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health". Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Sedentary lifestyle can kill". BBC News. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Is 30 Minutes of Exercise a Day Enough?". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Physical activity isn't just for athletes—it's for everyone". NIH MedlinePlus Magazine. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  5. ^ "I-Min Lee, MBBS, ScD – Division of Preventive Medicine". Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  6. ^ "I. Min Lee | ScienceDirect". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  7. ^ "I-Min Lee". Cardiometabolic Health Congress. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  8. ^ Bellón, Juanma; Heilman, Greg (6 July 2025). "Harvard professor reveals the No. 1 activity for all-round fitness". AS USA. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  9. ^ Mull, Amanda (31 May 2019). "What 10,000 Steps Will Really Get You". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  10. ^ Ruani, Alejandra "Alex" (23 January 2014). "Is physical activity as effective as medicine?". The Health Sciences Academy. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  11. ^ Lee, I. M.; Paffenbarger, R. S.; Hsieh, C. (18 September 1991). "Physical activity and risk of developing colorectal cancer among college alumni". Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 83 (18): 1324–1329. doi:10.1093/jnci/83.18.1324. ISSN 0027-8874. PMID 1886158.
  12. ^ "Even a 15-minute walk may help boost your longevity". The Washington Post. 10 November 2025. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  13. ^ BionicOldGuy (20 February 2025). "Dr. I-Min Lee: Science and Common Sense About Physical Activity". BionicOldGuy. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Five top living tips from Harvard Medical School". Archived from the original on 16 October 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  15. ^ Moore, M A; Park, C B; Tsuda, H (1998). "Physical exercise: a pillar for cancer prevention?". European Journal of Cancer Prevention. 7 (3): 177–193. doi:10.1097/00008469-199806000-00002. ISSN 0959-8278. JSTOR 45050520. PMID 9696926.
  16. ^ Cashin-Garbutt, April (30 July 2012). "Lack of physical activity and life expectancy: an interview with Dr I-Min Lee". News-Medical. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  17. ^ Lee, I. M.; Rexrode, K. M.; Cook, N. R.; Manson, J. E.; Buring, J. E. (21 March 2001). "Physical activity and coronary heart disease in women: is "no pain, no gain" passé?". JAMA. 285 (11): 1447–1454. doi:10.1001/jama.285.11.1447. ISSN 0098-7484. PMID 11255420.
  18. ^ Lee, I.-Min; Shiroma, Eric J.; Evenson, Kelly R.; Kamada, Masamitsu; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Buring, Julie E. (2018). "Using Devices to Assess Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in a Large Cohort Study, the Women's Health Study". Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour. 1 (2): 60–69. doi:10.1123/jmpb.2018-0005. ISSN 2575-6613. PMC 6338453. PMID 30666321.
  19. ^ "Do We Really Need to Take 10,000 Steps a Day for Our Health? (Published 2021)". 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 24 November 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  20. ^ X (14 June 2024). "This one thing may derail your shot at healthy aging, scientists say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Inactivity tied to 5.3 million deaths worldwide, similar to smoking - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  22. ^ Communications, Mass General Brigham (22 October 2025). "Step study: 4,000 counts for a lot". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  23. ^ Lee, I.-Min; Powell, Kenneth E.; Sarmiento, Olga Lucia; Hallal, Pedro C. (2025). "Even a small dose of physical activity can be good medicine". Nature Medicine. 31 (2): 376–378. doi:10.1038/s41591-024-03396-7. ISSN 1546-170X. PMID 39762423.
  24. ^ "Is the 10,000-steps per day goal a myth for women?". ABC News. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  25. ^ Denworth, Lydia (1 May 2023). "You Don't Really Need 10,000 Daily Steps to Stay Healthy". Scientific American. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  26. ^ "Harvard doctor says 'sitting is the new smoking' but how true is this statement? We asked the experts". The Indian Express. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  27. ^ "Physical inactivity kills as many people as smoking". New Scientist. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  28. ^ "Honor & Citation Awards". ACSM.
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