If you care about the well-being of your heart, anything is acceptable except sitting. A study published in the "European Heart Journal" has compiled for the first time a ranking of the activities performed in 24 hours, based on their effect on cardiovascular health. And while there are no big surprises other than physical activity providing the biggest benefits, research shows that incorporating healthy habits into our daily lives is easier than you think.
The team of researchers from University College London analyzed data from six studies of more than 15,200 people from five different countries who wore a device worn around their thigh to track their activities over 24 hours. Meanwhile, their cardiovascular health was monitored through a variety of parameters (such as body mass index, waist size, triglycerides).
First, the scientists ranked the various daily activities, starting with those that provide the greatest benefit to the heart: moderate to vigorous physical activity, followed by light physical activity, then standing, and then sleep . All of these are healthier than sitting.
But the most interesting aspects emerged when the team calculated what would happen if everyone invested the time spent each day in different activities with the same minutes of other, healthier time. For example, replacing just five minutes of sitting with moderate or vigorous physical activity has a marked effect on heart health.
For a hypothetical 54-year-old woman with a body mass index of 26.5 (overweight), replacing 30 minutes of sitting or lying down per day with moderate or vigorous physical activity would result in a 1-inch loss in waist circumference , and a 3.6% decrease in glycated hemoglobin, which is formed when there is too much glucose in the blood.
"The most beneficial change we noticed was replacing sitting with moderate to vigorous physical activity, which could be a run, a brisk walk or stair climbing – basically any activity that gets the heart rate up and it makes breathing faster even just for a minute or two," says Jo Blodgett, first author of the study.
But even if the most energetic movement gives more results and in less time, other activities also contribute to the well-being of the heart. The lower the intensity of an activity, the longer it takes to start having tangible benefits. For example, using a standing desk, which allows you to work while standing, still has an obvious benefit because it avoids sitting for many hours a day. At the same time, it is not a change that takes away precious time from work.
"Staying active isn't always easy and it's important to make changes that can be sustained in the long term and that are welcome," says James Leiper, deputy director of the British Heart Foundation.
"Incorporating 'activity snacks' like walking during phone calls or setting an alarm to get up and do a few jumps every hour are great ways to start building physical activity into each day and get closer to a healthy and active lifestyle. (A2 Televizion)
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