Better late than never to take care of your heart. New work published in the journal Circulation shows that regular physical activity for six years would be enough to reduce the risk of heart failure, even after 40 years.
Doing two and a half hours of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per week, such as brisk walking or cycling, maybe enough to reduce the risk of heart failure by 31%, American researchers from Johns Hopkins have found after followed 11,351 Americans with an average age of 60 for 19 years.
More interestingly, their work shows real benefits on heart health, including in less active people who started exercising after the age of 40, provided they sweat for at least six years.
According to the study, in the end, the risk of heart failure was reduced by 23% in participants who reached the health recommendations – either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, from the first six years of follow-up.