Research from UCL and the University of Sydney shows that replacing a few minutes of sitting each day with moderate exercise can have a big impact on heart health. It was also shown that light activity, standing, and sleeping were more beneficial compared to sitting. This finding is part of a study of more than 15,000 people and highlights that even small changes in daily physical activity can have a significant impact on health.
UCL and University of Sydney.
The research was supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). european heart journalwere the first to assess how different exercise patterns throughout the 24 hours of the day are related to heart health. This is the first evidence to emerge from the international Prospective Physical activity, Sitting and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium.
Global impact of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease refers to all diseases of the heart and circulatory system and is the number one cause of death worldwide. In 2021, it will be responsible for one in three deaths (205 million people), making coronary heart disease the single largest cause of death. Since 1997, the number of people living together has cardiovascular disease It has doubled worldwide and is predicted to increase further.[1]
Research details
In this study, UCL researchers analyzed data from six studies involving 15,246 people in five countries and found that daily exercise behavior was associated with heart health, as measured by six common indicators. We investigated how they are related.[2] Each participant used a wearable device worn on their thigh to measure their activity 24 hours a day and also measure their heart health.
Researchers have identified a hierarchy of behaviors that make up a typical 24-hour day. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity was most beneficial for heart health, followed by light activity, standing, and sleeping, compared to the negative effects of sedentary behavior. .[3]
To estimate the heart health impact of each scenario, the researchers modeled what would happen if an individual changed one behavior to another by varying amounts every day for a week. When replacing sedentary behavior, just five minutes of moderate to vigorous activity had a noticeable effect on heart health.
Quantifying benefits
For example, for a 54-year-old woman with an average BMI of 26.5, a 30-minute change corresponds to a 0.64 decrease in BMI, a difference of 2.4%. Replacing 30 minutes of sitting or lying down each day with moderate or vigorous exercise could reduce waist circumference by 2.5 cm (2.7%) or glycated hemoglobin by 1.33 mmol/mol (3.6%) there is.[4]
Expert insights
Dr Joe Blodgett, lead author of the study from the UCL Institute of Surgery, Interventional Science and Sport, Exercise and Health, said: Heart health and intensity of movement are important. The most beneficial change we observed was replacing sitting with moderate to vigorous activity (running, brisk walking, climbing stairs, etc.). Basically, any activity that increases your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, even for a minute or two. ”
Researchers noted that spending time in vigorous activity is the quickest way to improve heart health, but there are ways to benefit people of all abilities. It’s just that the lower the intensity of the activity, the longer it takes to start. There are tangible benefits. For example, using a standing desk instead of a sitting desk for several hours a day is a relatively long-term change, but it requires no time and is very easy to incorporate into your work routine. There are also things. dedication.
Potential for maximum impact
It was also found that the least active people benefited the most from changing from sedentary to more active behavior.
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, co-senior author of the study from the Charles Perkins Center and the University of Sydney’s School of Medicine and Health, said: By measuring activity and posture, we can more accurately estimate the health impact of subtle changes. ”
Although the findings of this study do not allow us to infer a causal relationship between exercise behavior and cardiovascular outcomes, they contribute to the growing body of evidence linking moderate to vigorous physical activity over a 24-hour period and improvements in body fat indicators. I am. Further long-term studies will be essential to better understand the association between exercise and cardiovascular outcomes.
conclusion
Professor Mark Hammer, co-senior author of the study from UCL Surgery and Interventional Science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, said: The study considered a variety of behaviors across a 24-hour day. This approach will ultimately allow us to provide personalized recommendations to help people become more active in a way that works for them. ”
James Leiper, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We already know that exercise can have real benefits for cardiovascular health, and this encouraging research shows that making small adjustments to your daily routine can lower your chances of having a heart attack or heart attack. It shows that there is a “stroke.” This study shows that replacing a few minutes of sitting with a few minutes of moderate activity can improve your BMI, cholesterol, waist size, and provide even more physical benefits.
“Being active isn’t always easy. It’s important to make changes that you can stick to and enjoy over the long term. Anything that gets your heart rate up will help. Take a walk while taking a phone call, or set an alarm. Incorporating an “activity snack” such as waking up every hour to do a star jump is a great way to incorporate activity into your day and develop the habit of living a fit and healthy lifestyle. . active lifestyle. ”
Note
- More information about cardiovascular disease is available at: British Heart Foundation website.
- This study was conducted as part of the Prospective Physical activity, Sitting and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium. Heart health was measured using his six results: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, HDL to total cholesterol ratio, triglycerides, and HbA1c.
- The NHS website says: Guidance on different levels of physical activity.
- Glycated hemoglobin is a measure of average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months and is an important indicator in diabetes management.
Reference: “Device-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health: Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) Consortium” Joanna M. Blodgett, Matthew N. Ahmadi, Andrew J. Atkin, Sebastian Chastain, Xuwen Zhang, Christine Suorsa, Esme A. Bakker, Pasan Hettiarkatti, Peter J. Johansson, Lauren B. Scherer, Begar Langle, Richard M. Pulsford, Geeta Mishra, Tis MH Eisfogels, Sari.・Stenholm, Alan D. Hughes, Armando M. Teixeira-Pinto, Ulf Ekelund, Ai-Ming Li, Andreas Holtermann, Annemarie Koster, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Mark Hamer, ProPASS Collaboration, Nidhi Gupta, Coen Stehouwer, Hans Savelberg , Bastiaan de Galan, Carla van de Kallen, Dick HJ Thijssen, November 10, 2023, european heart journal.
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad717
This research was funded by the British Heart Foundation.
