Exercise & The Prevention of Heart Disease
- Jay Homewood
- Oct 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Cardiovascular disease is the biggest cause of death not just in the UK, but across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation, in 2019 the leading cause of death was Ischaemic heart disease, followed by strokes. Ischaemic heart disease, sometimes referred to as Coronary Heart Disease or CHD, is responsible for 16% of deaths worldwide, and the cases are rising year on year. Diabetes is also on the list of the top ten causes of death in 2019, ranking at number 9. Ischaemic heart disease is the biggest killer in low, middle and high-income countries.
One of the main risk factors for developing heart disease is lack of exercise and being overweight or obese. This means that heart disease in many cases is preventable by changing your diet and lifestyle. Many studies have demonstrated the significant benefits that exercise has on reducing the risk of heart diseases. CHD is caused when the coronary arteries, which are the ones that supply blood to the heart, become narrowed due to a build-up of fatty material called atheroma. A blood clot may also block the coronary artery, which is what causes a heart attack. Exercise dramatically reduces the risk of this fatty material building up in the arteries.
High blood pressure occurs when the pressure of blood present in the arteries is too high. Two of the main causes of high blood pressure are being overweight and not exercising.
High cholesterol will also increase the risk of developing CHD. There are two main types of cholesterol found in the human body – LDL and HDL. LDL is the type of cholesterol that is harmful and can increase your risk of developing CHD. HDL is a good type of cholesterol that helps to remove LDL from the body. Exercise can raise the level of HDL in the body, particularly higher intensity exercise like strength training, running or cycling.
Weight management
Many conditions surrounding weight are interlinked with heart disease. For example, you are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you are overweight, and Type 2 diabetes increases your risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease. Both diabetes and CHD are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and the risk of developing both can be reduced by managing your weight. One of the most effective ways to manage your weight is to increase the amount of exercise you do, meaning that you burn more calories, reduce your fat levels and put less strain on your heart.
The significant increase in CHD as the leading cause of death worldwide is a strong indicator that the majority of cases are caused by environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle, as opposed to genetic factors.
Improved function
Exercise will improve the function of your heart and circulatory system, making it more effective at pumping blood around the body at a reduced effort, keeping your blood pressure at a good level and lowering cholesterol levels. Exercises that increase your heart rate such as running, strength training and Pilates train your heart by making it work harder, improving its functionality in the longer term that will reduce your risk of developing heart diseases.
People who exercise regularly have a lower resting heart rate and a lower heart rate when they exercise compared to people who do not participate in regular exercise. A lower heart rate means the body is pumping more blood with each contraction and has an easier time keeping a regular heartbeat. A high resting heart rate shows that your body is working harder to pump more blood around the body, which can reduce its functionality in the long term and potentially lead to heart failure. To lower your resting heart rate, the best solution is regular exercise.
Conclusion
The statistics are shocking, but they show an increasing rate of deaths caused by heart disease, and the most common contributors are being overweight, having a high-fat diet and not participating in enough physical exercise. The rates at which exercise reduces the risk of developing heart disease are significant and it should not be underestimated as a preventative tool. According to the British Heart Foundation, 50% of heart attacks and strokes are associated with high blood pressure. At the same time, 37% of adults in the UK do not take part in the recommended 150 minutes of physical exercise per week, 28% of adults in the UK are obese and nearly 30% of children in the UK are overweight or obese. Exercise has the potential to reduce the risk of developing heart disease by up to 35%. The overwhelmingly significant evidence shows that exercise is a key player in the prevention of heart disease through improved heart function, weight management, as well as the regulation of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
By exercising for the recommended amount of time of 150 minutes per week (or 75 minutes of more vigorous activities), you are drastically reducing your risk of developing heart diseases and allowing yourself to live a much longer and more fulfilling life.
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