You just need 150 to 300 minutes of walking or 75 to 100 minutes of jogging every week to reduce your risk of heart failure by two-thirds. According to a UK study that tracked 95,000 people, moderate to vigorous exercises had the intended effect on heart health.
Heart failure is a chronic condition where the heart is not capable of pumping sufficient blood to keep a person well oxygenated. “There are many potential ways that regular physical activity may reduce the risk of developing heart failure. For example, it helps prevent weight gain and related cardio-metabolic conditions, such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart failure. Regular physical exercise may also strengthen the heart muscle, which, in turn, may prevent heart failure,” said Frederick K. Ho, one of the authors of the study from the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health at the University of Glasgow.
The study suggests increasing physical activity for those who are overweight or obese, have high blood pressure and have elevated blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Instead of depending on study participants reporting their weekly level of activity, the researchers used data from an accelerometer to understand the patterns of physical activity. After a follow-up of over six years, the researchers found that those who logged 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise were at 63 per cent lower risk of heart failure while those who did 75 to 100 minutes of vigorous exercise were at a 66 per cent lower risk.
How much and what kind of exercise should one do?
Dr Rakesh Yadav, professor of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, says that it is well-known that regular physical activity improves heart health. He, however, recommends moderate exercise such as walking or yoga to the elderly people at risk of heart failure instead of vigorous routines. “Sedentary life is a risk factor for heart attack, cardiovascular diseases and heart failure. So, we encourage everyone to walk for around 45 minutes a day,” says Dr Yadav, adding that in such studies, there are always several confounding factors like whether the people were more health-conscious or whether they were from a higher socio-economic background.
He even feels that the study is actually not meant for most of India. “A huge proportion of people in our country work in the fields, are out all day long, walk during their commute – all of this will count towards physical activity. They do not need to separately wake up each morning and go for a walk.”
He adds, “However, those who remain at home for most of the time such as retired people or housewives or sedentary workers in offices must ensure that they keep moving around.”
Develop a routine that’s reasonable and agrees with your routine
With many people continuing to work from home given the flexi office hours after the pandemic, Dr Yadav says there are many who have not returned to the usual patterns of their physical activities. “The human body is highly adaptable but that also means it will become sedentary if you do not walk or exercise for a long duration. So, I tell my patients to keep moving,” he said.
People must make physical activity a habit, instead of vigorously working out every once in a while. “You see some people diagnosed with diabetes suddenly working out a lot for a month. But they do not continue beyond that because it is either untenable or exhausting. This is why the physical activity has to be something reasonable that can easily be accommodated in the routine,” he adds.
