Women Who Walk Reduce Their Risk of Both Heart Disease and Stroke
A recent study has found that women who walk at least three hours a week can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 40%, and the reduction is even greater for women who walk faster. The research was led by Dr. JoAnn Manson, director of women's health at Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Findings were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting in New Orleans on November 12, 1996.
The researchers studied 84,000 female nurses aged 40 to 65 who had no evidence of heart disease. The participants were surveyed about their walking habits once in 1986 and then twice more over the next eight years.The researchers found that for 50% of the participants, the only form of exercise that was performed was walking, while 10% of the participants did not exercise at all. During the eight years, 590 heart attacks and 456 strokes were reported.
The results of the study indicated that women who walked briskly (3 to 4 miles an hour) reduced the risk of heart disease by 54%, and those women who walked more slowly reduced their risk by 32% compared to women who did not walk at all. There were similar findings for the risk reduction of stroke.
Dr. Manson noted that there have been very few studies connecting physical activity to cardiovascular disease and stroke in women. The research is also important in light of recent federal exercise guidelines which recommend at least 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise. As of 1992, the AHA has identified a lack of physical activity as a risk factor for heart disease, and therefore recommends at least moderate intensity activity for those people who can not exercise more strenuously or who are inactive.
Dr. Manson also stressed the overall benefit exercise plays in a variety of other health concerns including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing weight, and reducing the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and certain kinds of cancer. It also helps to reduce stress.
The link between exercise and decreased risk of heart disease and stroke is not simply theoretical, and this is one more study demonstrating the positive benefits of exercise. Importantly, it was done on women, on whom much less information is available. The good news is that the exercise need not be strenuous; even regular walking decreases risk. So if you're not in the habit--well, time to get moving!
A recent study has found that women who walk at least three hours a week can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 40%, and the reduction is even greater for women who walk faster. The research was led by Dr. JoAnn Manson, director of women's health at Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Findings were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting in New Orleans on November 12, 1996.
The researchers studied 84,000 female nurses aged 40 to 65 who had no evidence of heart disease. The participants were surveyed about their walking habits once in 1986 and then twice more over the next eight years.The researchers found that for 50% of the participants, the only form of exercise that was performed was walking, while 10% of the participants did not exercise at all. During the eight years, 590 heart attacks and 456 strokes were reported.
The results of the study indicated that women who walked briskly (3 to 4 miles an hour) reduced the risk of heart disease by 54%, and those women who walked more slowly reduced their risk by 32% compared to women who did not walk at all. There were similar findings for the risk reduction of stroke.
Dr. Manson noted that there have been very few studies connecting physical activity to cardiovascular disease and stroke in women. The research is also important in light of recent federal exercise guidelines which recommend at least 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise. As of 1992, the AHA has identified a lack of physical activity as a risk factor for heart disease, and therefore recommends at least moderate intensity activity for those people who can not exercise more strenuously or who are inactive.
Dr. Manson also stressed the overall benefit exercise plays in a variety of other health concerns including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing weight, and reducing the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and certain kinds of cancer. It also helps to reduce stress.
The link between exercise and decreased risk of heart disease and stroke is not simply theoretical, and this is one more study demonstrating the positive benefits of exercise. Importantly, it was done on women, on whom much less information is available. The good news is that the exercise need not be strenuous; even regular walking decreases risk. So if you're not in the habit--well, time to get moving!
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