Physical Activity and Heart Health

Physical Activity and Heart Health

Physical Activity and Heart Health 

Physical inactivity is one of the greatest risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs; ie, diseases of the heart and blood vessels).1 What exercises are recommended and how do they help improve heart health?  

 

What Do Guidelines Recommend?  

The American Heart Association recommends that adults engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity 5-7 times a week.2 is also recommended 2-3 days a week as it can also benefit blood pressure control. The Physical Activity Guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults engage in at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week.3 Additionally, resistance training is recommended at least 2 days a week.

 

What Types of Exercises Are Good for Heart Health?

Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, fast dancing and yoga, as well as high intensity interval training and resistance/strength training are all recommended for improving cardiovascular health.2 Aerobic exercises have mainly been the focus of cardiovascular health, shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness over time.4 However, research is beginning to show that resistance training can play an important role in improving cardiovascular health.5 Evidence suggests that resistance training can prevent decline in skeletal muscle mass, increase energy expenditure, and benefit obesity, diabetes, and hypertension (ie, high blood pressure), which are risk factors of CVD.

 

Does Physical Activity Improve Heart Health?

Various studies have demonstrated that regularly engaging in aerobic exercises can help improve cardiovascular health and can prevent and treat hypertension.2,6 For instance, a meta-analyses of 21 prospective studies including over 650,000 adults concluded that high levels of leisure time physical activity was associated with lowered risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 20-30% in men and 10-20% in women.7 Physical activity is also thought to improve cardiac output, lower the risk of obesity, and improve glycemic control, all important factors in determining cardiovascular health.  

 

References:
1. Carnethon MR. Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease: How Much is Enough? Am J Lifestyle Med. 2009;3(1 Suppl):44S-49S. doi:10.1177/1559827609332737
2. Unger T, Borghi C, Charchar F, et al. 2020 International Society of Hypertension Global Hypertension Practice Guidelines. Hypertension. 2020;75(6):1334-1357. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.15026
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. Retrieved from https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf.
4. Patel H, Alkhawam H, Madanieh R, Shah N, Kosmas CE, Vittorio TJ. Aerobic vs anaerobic exercise training effects on the cardiovascular system. World J Cardiol. 2017;9(2):134-138. doi:10.4330/wjc.v9.i2.134
5. Liu Y, Lee D chul, Li Y, et al. Associations of Resistance Exercise with Cardiovascular Disease Morbidity and Mortality. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(3):499-508. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001822
6. Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Negrean V, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Physical Activity for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Elderly. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;19(1):207. doi:10.3390/ijerph19010207
7. Li J, Siegrist J. Physical Activity and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease—A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012;9(2):391-407. doi:10.3390/ijerph9020391

  

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