Vigorous Physical Activity Linked to Lower Mortality

FRIDAY, Nov. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Vigorous physical activity (VPA) is associated with reduced mortality, and increasing the intensity of physical activity is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to two studies published online Oct. 27 in the European Heart Journal.

Matthew N. Ahmadi, Ph.D., from the University of Sydney, and colleagues conducted a prospective study in 71,893 adults from the U.K. Biobank with wrist-worn accelerometry to examine the association between VPA and mortality and disease incidence. The researchers found that during a mean follow-up of 5.9 years, the adjusted five-year absolute mortality risk was 4.17, 2.12, 1.78, 1.47, and 1.10 percent for no VPA, >0 to <10 minutes, 10 to <30 minutes, 30 to <60 minutes, and ≥60 minutes per week, respectively. The optimal dose was 53.6 minutes/week, with a hazard ratio of 0.64 compared to the 5th percentile reference (2.2 minutes/week).

Paddy C. Dempsey, Ph.D., from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the role of physical activity intensity in relation to incident CVD among 88,412 U.K. Biobank middle-aged adults without prevalent CVD who wore accelerometers for seven days. The total physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) was estimated using population-specific validation. The researchers identified 4,068 CVD events during 584,568 person-years of follow-up (median, 6.8 years). Higher PAEE and higher fraction of PAEE accumulated from moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (percentage MVPA) was associated with lower rates of incident CVD. CVD rates were lowest for combinations of both higher PAEE and percentage MVPA.

"Boosting the intensity of activities you already do is good for heart health," Dempsey said in a statement. "For example, picking up the pace on your daily walk to the bus stop or completing household chores more quickly."

Abstract/Full Text - Ahmadi

Abstract/Full Text - Dempsey

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