20 minutes daily walk slashes heart failure risk – study

A study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, has found that a brisk 20-minute walk a day slashes the risk of developing heart failure in middle age by nearly a third. Heart failure is a major cause of hospitalisation among people who are over 65 years and occurs when the heart is […]

A study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, has found that a brisk 20-minute walk a day slashes the risk of developing heart failure in middle age by nearly a third.

Heart failure is a major cause of hospitalisation among people who are over 65 years and occurs when the heart is too weak or stiff to pump blood properly

The study, published in the journal Circulation, also suggested that failing to do any exercise or stopping after leading a previously active life can increase the chance of getting the devastating condition

 The study also claims that getting off the sofa and going for a walk or a bike ride for two-and-a-half hours a week can reduce the risk of the chronic illness in just six years.

Even those who progress from no exercise to consistently doing the recommended amount within six years cut their risk by nearly a quarter, the researchers said. 

The study follows a survey by Public Health in the UK last year which found 41 per cent of 40 to 60 year-olds (around 6.3 million people) don’t manage a brisk 10-minute walk even once a month.

The researchers said people who have led a sedentary life (without any exercise) can still cut their heart failure risk by exercising. Researchers say it’s never too late, adding that it may never be too late to reduce the risk of heart failure with moderate exercise.

Co-author Dr Roberta Florido said “Unlike other heart disease risk factors like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, we don’t have specifically effective drugs to prevent heart failure.

“So we need to identify and verify effective strategies for prevention and emphasise these to the public.”

Dr Florido said previous research had suggested people who are more physically active were less vulnerable. However, little was known about the impact of changes in exercise levels over time.

Researchers used data already gathered from 11,351 participants in the federally funded, long term Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. They were monitored annually for an average of 19 years for heart attack, stroke and heart failure using telephone interviews, hospital records and death certificates.

Over the course of the study there were 1,693 hospitalisations and 57 deaths due to heart failure.