Moderate physical activity lowers heart disease risk in young women

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/aha-mpa072016.php

Public Release: 25-Jul-2016
Moderate physical activity lowers heart disease risk in young women
American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
American Heart Association

Spending a cumulative 2.5 hours a week doing recreational physical activity is linked with a 25 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease in women under age 50, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

The benefits of physical activity for cardiovascular health in general have been shown in numerous studies, but most focused on middle-aged and older adults. Although death rates from coronary heart disease are low among women age 25-54, there has been little improvement in these rates in the past 20 years, whereas the rate among older groups has fallen during this period.

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Among women age 27-44 at the start of the study, they found:

women with the highest level of leisure time physical activity were at a 25 percent lower risk incidence of coronary heart disease;
activity did not have to be strenuous to be beneficial, moderately intense activities such as brisk walking were associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease;
the frequency of physical activity did not affect the outcome as long as the total weekly time was at least 150 minutes; and regardless of their body weight when they began, women reduced their coronary heart disease risk by engaging in physical activity.

"Most women can improve their heart health significantly by incorporating some moderate or vigorous physical activity into their regular routine," Chomistek said. "Physical activity appears to be beneficial across the lifespan, regardless of body weight. It's important to remember that any amount of activity is better than none."

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