Why Is Physical Activity Important to Heart Health?

Physical activity is essential to overall good health, not just to heart health. Cardiorespiratory fitness in early adulthood significantly decreases the chance of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, both major risk factors for heart disease. Improving fitness in healthy young adults prevents weight gain and obesity and can cut the risk for diabetes and the metabolic syndrome by as much as 50 percent. Exercise is also a great tool for reducing stress. For more information on exercise and exercise guidelines for children, see Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

• Reduces your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, and obesity.
• Helps you maintain a healthy weight.
• Keeps joints, tendons, and ligaments flexible so it is easier to move around.
• Contributes to your mental well-being and helps relieve stress and anxiety.
• Increases your energy and endurance.
• Helps you sleep better.

Ideal Levels of Physical Activity

• Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days.
• To help maintain desirable body weight and prevent gradual body weight gain in adulthood, engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous- intensity activity on most days.
• To sustain weight loss in adulthood, engage in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity.

Physical Activity Recommendations for Children and Adolescents

• Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, if possible.

Health Tip: If you have had a heart attack, have been diagnosed with heart disease, or have any of the risk factors that may cause heart disease, consult with your doctor or health-care provider before you begin an exercise program. If you experience chest discomfort, severe or unusual fatigue, dizziness or faintness, irregular or rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, or nausea while exercising, immediately stop exercising and get help. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

< previous | health notes home >