THE ESSENTIAL
- Adults over the age of 65 should engage in a variety of activities that emphasize functional balance and strength exercises of moderate or higher intensity, 3 or more times per week, to improve their functional capacity and prevent falls.
Brisk walking, water aerobics or yoga are not the only activities practiced by seniors that help maintain good cardiovascular health. “Any physical activity is beneficial and can (…) go through dancing, playing and daily household chores, such as gardening and cleaning”, indicated the World Health Organization (WHO). And it is now proven: older people who are active at home are less likely to suffer from heart disease, according to researchers at the University of San Diego in California (United States).
Analyze the impact of daily activities on the risk of heart disease
In order to come to this conclusion, scientists conducted a study, including the results were published in the journal Journal of the American Heart Association February 22. For the purposes of the work, they recruited 5,416 women aged 63 to 97, who did not have cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.
Participants wore an accelerometer, a device that measures linear accelerations and vibrations, for seven days. The aim was to accurately assess the movements and activities of daily living, such as household chores, as well as the time the volunteers stood and moved.
A lower risk of heart disease through daily activities
According to the results, 616 participants were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, 268 with coronary artery disease, 253 with stroke and 331 died from cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that moving and standing during daily activities was associated with a lower risk of heart disease in older women.
Compared to volunteers who moved less than two hours a day, seniors who moved at least four hours a day had a 43% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 43% lower risk of coronary heart disease, a 30% lower cerebrovascular disease and, most importantly, a 62% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
“Every movement counts to prevent these diseases”
“The study demonstrates that any movement matters in preventing these diseases. Spending more time doing activities of daily living, which includes a wide range of movements that we all do while standing, led to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease”, said Steve Nguyen, co-author of the work, in a statement.
Andrea LaCroix, lead author of the research, added that“Much of the movement done by older people is associated with daily living tasks, but it may not be considered physical activity. Understanding the benefits of these movements and adding them to recommendations for of physical activity could encourage seniors to move more”.