Heart disease is the main cause of death in many countries. Therefore, scientists are trying to discover new methods to lower the risk.
A recent study, conducted by scientists from the University of Glasgow, UK, has showed several advantages of moderate and high-intensity exercises in heart health.
The findings were published in the Circulation journal by the American Heart Association.
In this project, researchers collected data from 94,000 participants in the United Kingdom, who were at the age of 56 on average and had no history of heart disease. These people had to wear electronic devices to track their activity levels and heart rate for 7 days.
Over a period of 6 years, the scientists evaluated the recorded information to determine how many of participants suffered from heart failure. They made comparison between those who had low levels of physical activity and those who did moderate or high-intensity activity.
The results suggested that those people who completed around 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercises per week had a 63 percent lower risk of heart disease. Those who had around 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity exercises had a 66 percent reduction in the cardiovascular risk.
There are many explanations to these effects. For instance, physical activity may help prevent obesity and associated cardiometabolic problems, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, which are major risk factors for heart disease.
According to the authors, this is the first cohort study of its type because it analyzed data from tracking devices in a period of up to 6 years rather than depending on the participants’ self-reports.
It is important to note that participants in this project do not represent the general public in the United Kingdom. In fact, those in the study tend to be more physically active.
Other limitations of the research included the majority of white people and a lack of a direct association between heart disease prevention and exercise.
Overall, the study results stress the significance of physical activity in daily life. Even though many individuals might not work out as regularly as others, regular movement plays an important role in cardiovascular health.
Every physical activity matters. A 5-minute walk is still better than doing nothing. If you walk, try a bit faster to boost the intensity and improve the possible health benefits.
Source:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.059663
