One hour of moderate sports activity or half an hour of sustained intensity would reduce heart failure by 46%, according to the results of a study published in the American Heart Association journal, Circulation: Heart Failure.
Researchers at Uppsala University observed total physical activity, and analyzed medical data, of 39,805 healthy people between the ages of 20 and 90.
Over the course of the study, the volunteers informed the researchers about their daily habits relating to smoking, taking medication or consuming alcohol, but also about their physical activity and whether or not they were sedentary at work.
The heart needs to play sports to be in good shape
Researchers have found that the more active the person, the higher their risk ofheart failure was declining and that physical exercise was beneficial for both men and women.
People who did more sport in their spare time, beyond an hour of moderate exercise or half an hour of sustained activity, saw their risk ofheart failure decrease by 46%.
For the authors of the study, sports activities fall into several categories, walking being considered a sport “not supported”, jogging or swimming being “moderate” and sports in competition fall into the category “supported sport. “.
“You don’t have to run a marathon to reap the benefits of your physical activity, even very little activity can have positive effects,” says Professor Kasper Andersen, co-author at Uppsala University, Sweden. .
Remember that the World Health Organization recommends practicing at least 60 minutes of activity per day for children aged 5 to 17 and at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week for adults.
Yet, according to a recent study by the Organization, Europeans are too sedentary. In 23 countries where the survey was carried out, more than 30% of respondents aged 15 and over do not get enough physical exercise.