Groundbreaking study of 17,000 hearts. What have scientists discovered?

Groundbreaking study of 17,000 hearts. What have scientists discovered?

Researchers from Macao Polytechnic University conducted a study in which they examined over 17,000 people with an average age of 57. Each participant wore a physical activity tracking device on their wrist for a week and also took part in a fitness test on a stationary bike. The researchers' goal was to find out how the amount of exercise and fitness level affect the subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study also took into account a number of other factors that may affect heart health, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, body weight, blood pressure and resting heart rate. The participants were followed for nearly eight years, which allowed for the collection of reliable data on the impact of physical activity on health.

Why is 150 minutes of exercise not enough? The results surprised the researchers

During eight years of observation, 1,233 incidents related to cardiovascular diseases were recorded, including 874 cases of atrial fibrillation, 156 heart attacks, 111 cases of heart failure and 92 strokes. The analysis found that people who completed the current recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week had an 8-9 percent lower risk of such events compared to less active people.

However, scientists were surprised by how big the differences appeared with much more movement. Among the most active people - those who engaged in moderate to intense physical activity for about 560-610 minutes a week (or 9-10 hours) - the risk of heart disease and stroke was lower by more than 30 percent. This high level of activity corresponds to an average of 80-90 minutes of exercise per day.

It doesn't have to be a gym. Every step of the day counts

Importantly, researchers emphasize that it is not only about organized exercises or training at the gym. Physical activity also includes brisk walking, running, cycling and other forms of daily activity. Unfortunately, only 12 percent of study participants moved so intensively.

Your fitness determines how long you need to exercise

The researchers also examined how baseline physical condition influenced the benefits of activity. It turned out that people with poorer fitness needed more time devoted to movement to achieve similar results as more fit people. For example, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20 percent, the least fit people needed to exercise about 370 minutes a week, while the fittest participants achieved this effect at 340 minutes.

Time for a change? New guidelines for a healthy heart are coming