PremiumIn a new research published in the flagship journal Circulation, authors sasy engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity may reduce the risk of developing heart failure
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A six-year analysis of more than 94,000 adults in the U.K. Biobank shows engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity may reduce the risk of developing heart failure. The new research was published in American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.
The study finds that compared to participants who engaged in little to no moderate or vigorous physical activity, adults who completed 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity in a week had a 63% lower risk of heart failure, and those who completed 75-150 minutes of vigorous activity in a week were estimated to have a 66% lower risk.
Earlier research findings had discovered performing 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke but the new study is one of the first studies to measure the risk of heart failure using objectively measured activity levels.
The results also suggest that every physical action matters and even a leisurely 10-minute walk is preferable to inactivity and sitting. Researchers say, walking even a little bit faster can increase the intensity and potential health benefits of exercise.
Frederick K. Ho, PhD, a lecturer in public health at the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland, and a co-lead author of the study said that there are numerous ways that regular physical activity may lower the risk of developing heart failure.
Frederick says exercise lowers the risk of developing heart failure by preventing weight gain and the related cardiometabolic conditions high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. He also adds it may also help to strengthen the heart muscle, preventing the onset of heart failure.
He further added, “In general, moderate physical activity is safer and simpler to incorporate into daily routines. Being physically active vigorously can often be the most time-effective and may be better for people who are busy."
The data for this study was collected between 2013 and 2015 using an email address given by the participants to the UK Biobank and a subset of 94,739 randomly selected participants were invited. For seven days straight, 24 hours a day, each participant wore a wrist accelerometer to track their level of physical activity. Following enrollment, information was gathered using hospital and death records that were linked
All factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary factors were taken into account.
Naveed Sattar, a senior author in the study said, "Our findings add to the overwhelming body of other evidence that suggests that maintaining even a modest amount of regular physical activity can help prevent the onset of a range of chronic conditions, including heart failure."
With inputs from Agencies