Heart Health
To lower heart risk, pump up your exercise efforts
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H, Former Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter
To improve heart health, increasing the volume or intensity of your exercise helps — and boosting both is even better, new research suggests.
The study, published Dec. 7, 2022, in the European Heart Journal, included more than 88,000 adults ages 40 to 69 who were free of heart disease. For a week, the participants wore wrist activity trackers, which are particularly good for capturing sporadic bouts of differing intensity during the day.
After a median follow-up of 6.8 years, the researchers found that higher amounts of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
But including more moderate-intensity activity in your daily routine may lower risk even more, say the authors. As examples, they suggest converting a 14-minute stroll into a seven-minute brisk walk, or doing your regular household chores at a faster pace.
Image: © Luis Alvarez/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H, Former Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter
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