Heart
Disease Risk Lowered with Physical Activity
Middle-aged women who move around more in their daily life
have lower levels of intra-abdominal fat, a risk factor for heart disease,
according to a report from the American College of Sports
Medicine.
"A minor modification to your weekly activity, such as reducing
the time you watch TV or increasing the time you walk to work or school, can
make a difference in your long-term health," says study author Dr. Sheila Dugan,
a physiatrist at Rush University Medical Center.
The results held true for both Caucasian and African-American
women.
Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, at Lenox Hill Hospital,
says, "Focusing
on visceral fat has become a real hot topic because of metabolic syndrome [which
predisposes people to disease], and part of what leads us to diagnose metabolic
syndrome is visceral fat content."
"Here, they're targeting one of the highest risk factors
which causes metabolic syndrome, which is one of greatest reasons to develop
coronary artery disease,” she says. “Not only does exercise help
condition your heart, but it helps to decrease this risk of visceral fat, which
is huge."
Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes the presence
of a cluster of risk factors specific for cardiovascular disease.
Metabolic syndrome significantly raises the risk of developing
diabetes, heart disease, and/or stroke.
Most people who have metabolic syndrome have insulin resistance.
Intra-abdominal fat, or the fat that wraps around the organs
in the abdomen and chest, tends to accumulate at midlife and can contribute
to developing diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
"Separately, the fat around the organs is known to be more
related to heart disease and diabetes and other things that can cause long-term
chronic problems," confirms Dr. Dugan.
And a woman does not need to appear outwardly
heavy to have a potentially troublesome extra "tire" around her organs.
Previous studies have found that exercise can reduce the
amount of intra-abdominal fat a woman carries around.
Dr. Dugan and her colleagues looked at physical
activity levels and intra-abdominal fat measurements of 338 women in
the Chicago area.
Participants filled out surveys indicating how much physical
activity, including housework, they engaged in each week and month, and each
received a score reflecting that activity.
This score was correlated with their levels of intra-abdominal
fat.
Intra-abdominal fat was measured by CT scan,
which, says Dr. Dugan, is the "gold standard measurement."
"Those with a higher physical activity score had lower intra-abdominal
fat," Dr. Dugan says. "Just being more physically active in your life will
have a positive impact on your body, which will have a positive impact on your
health."
Always consult your physician for more information.
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