Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world
Any activity, even sleeping, is better for your heart than sitting. That’s according to a study supported by the British Heart Foundation and published this month in the journal European Heart Journal.
The research, which seeks to evaluate how different movement patterns throughout the 24 hours of the day correlate with heart health, is part of an international consortium called Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep (ProPASS).
Cardiovascular diseases, which affect the heart and blood circulation, are the leading cause of death worldwide.
Use of motion detectors
In the study, scientists at University College London in the United Kingdom analyzed data from six studies, involving 15,246 people from five countries, to see how movement throughout the day is associated with heart health. Each participant wore a device on their thigh to measure their activity during 24 hours of the day, and their heart health was measured.
Heart health was measured using six outcomes: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, cholesterol (HDL and LDL), triglycerides, and glycated hemoglobin (A1C).
The study identified the behaviors that make up a typical 24-hour day. Time spent in moderate to vigorous activity, as expected, had the greatest benefit for heart health, followed by light activity, standing and sleeping. All were confronted with the impact of sedentary behavior.
Main results
The team modeled what would happen if an individual swapped various amounts of one behavior for another every day for a week to estimate the effect on heart health for each scenario. View some search results:
– Replacing sedentary behavior with just 5 minutes of moderate or vigorous activity had a noticeable effect on heart health.
– For a 54-year-old woman with an average BMI of 26.5, a 30-minute change in moderate or vigorous activity resulted in a 0.64 decrease in BMI, or a 2.4% difference.
– Replacing 30 minutes of daily sitting or lying with moderate or vigorous exercise can also result in a 2.5 cm (2.7%) decrease in waist circumference or a 1.3 mmol/mol reduction (3.6%) of glycated hemoglobin.
Intensity matters!
The main conclusion, according to the authors, is that although small changes in the way people move can have a positive effect on heart health, intensity matters.
The most beneficial change the team observed was replacing sitting with moderate to vigorous activity, which could be running, brisk walking or climbing stairs. Basically, any activity that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, even if just for a minute or two.
While the research doesn’t fully demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship, the findings add to a growing body of evidence linking moderate to vigorous physical activity over a 24-hour period to a better body fat profile.
10 exercises and habits that improve cardiovascular health
How to increase your daily activities
The researchers said that while time spent in vigorous activity is the fastest way to improve heart health, there are ways that people of all abilities can benefit. The difference is that the lower the intensity of the activity, the longer it will take to start seeing a tangible benefit.
For example, using a standing desk for a few hours a day represents a change that occurs over a relatively long period of time, but can also be easily integrated into your work routine.
The least active subjects in the study were also the ones who benefited most from becoming more active.
It’s worth remembering that even light activity can lead to better blood pressure and blood sugar control, which is beneficial over time.
Find out how to include moderate or vigorous activity into your routine:
– Take breaks during the day to go for a brisk walk
– Use the stairs instead of the elevator
– Park further away from where you will walk the most
– Try walking faster when shopping.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
