Engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart failure, according to new research published in Circulation, the leading journal of the American Heart Association. The finding comes from a six-year analysis of more than 94,000 adults in the UK Biobank who had no history of heart failure at enrollment.
It is one of the first studies to estimate heart failure risk using objectively measured activity levels. According to earlier research findings, getting 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise every week can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition that causes fatigue and difficulty breathing when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 6 million adults in the country suffer from heart failure, and more than 86,000 Americans died from the condition in 2019.
The association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week.
Frederick K. Ho, PhD, a lecturer in public health at the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland, and co-lead author of the study, said there are several ways that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart failure.
For example, exercise reduces the risk of developing heart failure by preventing weight gain and the related cardiometabolic conditions high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise can also help strengthen the heart muscle, thereby preventing the onset of heart failure.
In the UK Biobank, a large research database in the United Kingdom that enrolled and collected health information on 500,000 adults receiving care through the National Health Service, researchers examined the health records of 94,739 adults aged 37 to 73. Residents of Scotland, England, and Wales participating in the UK Biobank were added to the database between 2006 and 2010.
Between 2013 and 2015, the data for this study was collected. Through the email address they gave to UK Biobank, a subset of 94,739 participants were randomly invited to sign up for the study during that time period.
Of the participants, 96.6% were white adults, and 57% of them were female, with a mean age of 56 years at enrollment. Each participant was invited, enrolled and analyzed prior to receiving a heart failure or heart attack diagnosis. For seven days, 24 hours a day, each participant wore a wrist accelerometer to track their physical activity level. After enrollment, information was collected using hospital and death records that were linked.
The analysis showed that, compared to participants who engaged in at least moderate or vigorous physical activity, adults who completed 150–300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week had a 63% lower risk of heart failure, and Those who did 75- to 150 minutes of vigorous activity a week were estimated to have a 66% lower risk. These findings were made during a mean follow-up of 6.1 years after physical activity measurement. Age, gender, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status, smoking, alcohol consumption and dietary factors were taken into account when assessing risk reduction.
These results show that every bodily action matters. A leisurely 10-minute walk is better for inactivity and sitting. Additionally, Ho recommends trying a slightly brisk walk to increase the intensity of the exercise and the potential health benefits.
According to Ho, the study’s findings mean that exercising more than what the American Heart Association currently recommends for moderate activity may provide greater protection against heart failure. He said, “We found that moderate physical activity has the potential to increase cardiovascular risk benefits by up to 500 minutes/week, as appropriate for each individual.
According to Ho and colleagues, people whose BMI meets the criteria for being overweight or obese, high blood pressure, elevated glucose or cholesterol, and other risk factors for heart failure, particularly benefited from increasing their physical activity. may be likely to happen.
Depending on a patient’s current lifestyle and health status, health care professionals may recommend them engage in more physical activity, Ho said. “Generally, moderate physical activity is safe and simple to incorporate into a daily routine. Being physically active can often be most time-effective and may be better for busy people with injuries or acute To avoid adverse events (such as a heart attack in a sedentary person before starting a vigorous exercise program), caution is advised for everyone when starting a new physical activity.”
The amount and intensity of physical activity and the risk of heart failure could not be directly linked in this observational study. Further research will be needed to confirm that these findings apply to people from diverse backgrounds who may experience negative social determinants of health as UK Biobank participants are predominantly white.
Senior author of the study Naveed Sattar said, “Our findings add to the overwhelming body of other evidence suggesting that maintaining a modest amount of regular physical activity may help prevent the onset of many chronic conditions, including heart failure. Is. .” Sattar teaches metabolic medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow.