Boosting physical activity may reduce risk of heart failure

A six-year analysis of more than 94,000 adults in the U.K. Biobank with no history of heart failure at enrollment has found that engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity may lower the risk of developing heart failure, according to new research published in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation. People whose risk factors for heart failure include having a BMI that meets the criteria for overweight or obese, high blood pressure, and elevated glucose or cholesterol, may be particularly likely to benefit from increasing their physical activity.

Data for this study was gathered between 2013-2015. Participants were an average age of 56 years at enrollment; 57% were female, and 96.6% were white adults. At the time each participant was invited, enrolled and analyzed, they had not been diagnosed with heart failure or had a heart attack. Each participant wore a wrist accelerometer for seven consecutive days, 24 hours per day, to measure the intensity and duration of physical activity. After enrollment, data was collected through linked hospital and death records.

During a median follow-up of 6.1 years after the physical activity measurement was conducted, the analysis found:

The adults who logged 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity in one week had a 63% lower risk of heart failure; and those who performed 75-150 minutes of vigorous physical activity in one week were estimated to have a 66% lower risk of heart failure compared to participants who engaged in minimal to no moderate or vigorous physical activity.

Ref:

Naveed Sattar et al, Circulation, DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.059663