Shouldn't we go for a walk?
For the elderly, physical activity is more useful than losing weight
Anna Stavina, XX2 century
Those who would like to improve their heart condition in adulthood should first think about physical exercise, a new study claims. Scientists have found that a fairly active lifestyle can be more beneficial for the heart than weight loss.
"Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the state of the heart. Elderly people, regardless of weight, can walk, ride a bike, do household chores – all these options are suitable to force themselves to move more," says study author Dr. Klodian Dhana, a postdoc at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The results of the work are published in the publication European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (Koolhaas et al., Impact of physical activity on the association of overweight and obesity with cardiovascular disease: The Rotterdam Study).
During the study, Dhana and his colleagues tracked the condition of more than 5,300 participants for 15 years. The age of the subjects ranged from 55 to 97 years. At the time of the start of participation in the work, there were no cardiovascular diseases in the volunteers.
At the end of the 15-year follow-up period, heart problems were reported in 16% of the participants.
After analyzing the data obtained, the researchers did not find a link between the body mass index (BMI) of volunteers and the likelihood of their developing cardiovascular diseases.
Body mass index is an indicator commonly used to quickly identify excess weight or obesity.
It is calculated by the formula I=m/h 2, where m is body weight and h is height in meters, and is measured in kg/m2. For example, in a person with a weight of 75 kg and a height of 1.75 m, the BMI will be 75 /(1.75)2 = 24.48. Values in the range from 18.5 to 25 are considered normal.
Strictly speaking, BMI does not indicate the presence of excess adipose tissue in the body – only height and body weight are used to calculate it. That is why in people with developed muscles, the indicators of this index can be higher than normal even with a normal amount of fat. However, to assess the complexion of people who do not lead a very active lifestyle and do not adhere to special diets, BMI is quite suitable.
But physical activity, regardless of BMI values, was associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
"Obesity and overweight are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. And overweight people are recommended to lose weight," says Dhana. – But the situation is changing for the elderly. In adulthood, weight loss, especially unintentional, is associated with loss of muscle mass and death" (see the press release of the European Society of Cardiology Benefits of physical activity may outweigh the impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease).
The results of the new work, as the author emphasized, do not refute the thesis that excess weight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of heart disease in the general population. But "our study has demonstrated that physical activity plays an extremely important role in maintaining the health of middle–aged and older people," adds Dhana. "Those who are overweight or obese, but do not include adequate physical activity in their daily routine, additionally increase their cardiovascular risks."
Currently, it is believed that 150 minutes a week is enough to reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease. This time should be given to medium-intensity physical exercises.
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03.03.2017