The WHO currently recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 years partake in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week; however, nearly a quarter (23%) of the world’s population do not meet such guidelines, according to the researchers.
Between Jan. 1, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2010, Lear and colleagues performed a prospective cohort study to determine the association between different amounts and types of physical activity and mortality and CVD in countries at different economic levels. The researchers enrolled 130,843 participants without preexisting CVD aged between 35 and 70 years from 17 countries. Countries were categorized as high-income (Canada, Sweden and United Arab Emirates), upper-middle income (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia and South Africa), lower-middle income (China, Colombia and Iran) and low-income (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe).
The researchers documented mortality and major CVD events, including CVD mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction or heart failure, during a mean of 6 to 9 years of follow-up. The analysis was adjusted from sociodemographic factors.
Across all regions, the most common form of physical activity was through active transportation, occupation or domestic duties. Leisure time physical activity was common in high-income countries, but not other regions.
Results indicated that moderate and high physical activity were associated with a 28% reduction in the risk for death from any cause and a 20% reduction in the risk for heart disease compared with low physical activity.
Fontes: Lancet 2017
1.Physical activity lowers mortality and heart disease risks