Heart Disease Prevention - Risks of Physical Inactivity

What health risks are associated with physical inactivity?

Lack of physical activity has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

• Less active, less fit persons have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Studies indicate that physically active people are less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who are inactive - even after the researchers accounted for smoking, alcohol use, and diet.
• Physically active overweight or obese people significantly reduced their risk for disease with physical activity.

Facts about sedentary lifestyles:

Thousands and thousands of deaths result each year due to a lack of regular physical activity. In addition:

• Inactivity increases with age.
• Women are more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles than men.
• Non-Hispanic white adults are more likely to engage in physical activity than Hispanic and non-Hispanic black adults.

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Disclaimer - This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. © 2009 Staywell Custom Communications.