Of all the daily activities, sitting is the worst for the heart. Replacing it with standing, for example, at a higher desk, already helps, and the best thing is, of course, intense physical exercises. Researchers from University College London analyzed data from six studies involving more than 15,000 people to find out how different types of activity during the day affect heart health, writes Twoje zdrowie.
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Cardiovascular disease, with coronary heart disease in first place, is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately one-third of all deaths. Since 1997, researchers note, the number of people living with cardiovascular disease has doubled and continues to rise. The authors of the new study compiled a list of different behavior patterns — from the most to the least favorable for the heart. The most useful, according to the results, are moderate and intense physical exercises.
In second place was light physical exercise, followed by standing, lying and sitting positions, which have a detrimental effect. Replacing just five minutes of sitting with vigorous exercise every other day has a noticeable effect on the heart, according to researchers.
«From our research, it’s worth remembering that while small changes can have a positive effect on the heart, the intensity of movement matters. Replacing sitting with moderate to vigorous activity was most beneficial. For example, running, brisk walking, or climbing stairs—any activity that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster, even for a minute or two.”– explains Dr. Joe Blodgettfirst author of an article that appeared in the European Heart Journal.
According to the researchers, simply replacing a few hours of sitting at a desk with standing is already beneficial. It can improve body mass index, cholesterol levels, waist circumference and have many other benefits.
We will recall the advice of an anti-aging expert on how to reduce your biological age and extend your life.
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