Older Women Who Move More Could Reduce Risk of Heart Failure, Study Proves

Older women who move more could reduce their risk of heart failure. A study proves that women ages 50 to 79 who spend more time sitting could increase their risk of developing the deadly heart disease. 

Research team at the University of Buffalo in Buffalo did a study in 80,000 postmenopausal women about their activity and found its link to the heart disease. They found that women who sit or lie down for most of the day have higher chances of having a heart failure and increases their risk of getting hospitalized. 

Very few studies to prove the link between the two in older women

There are limited studies done about the correlation between heart failure risk and sedentary lifestyle in patients. Moreso, even fewer researches have been found that focus on older women. 

Subjects reported the amount of time they spent lying around or doing physical activities daily. The research team divided them into spending sedentary time daily into three groups: 6.5 hours or below, between 6.6 to 9.5 hours, and over 9.5 hours. 

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Subjects were healthy at the start of the study

When the study began, all the subjects were not diagnosed with heart failure. Each of them could walk at a least one block without any help. After an average of nine years, the research team did a follow-up and found that 1,402 of the subjects got hospitalized because of heart failure. 

The team studied the data they gathered and found that women who reported that they had sedentary life between 6.6 to 9.5 hours a day had a 15 percent higher risk of getting hospitalized due to heart failure. Women who reported that they spent over 9.5 hours either lying down or sitting each day had a 42 percent increased risk. 

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On the other hand, subjects who reported as sitting for less than 4.5 hours daily had a 14 percent higher chance of getting ill for those who sat down between 4.6 to 8.5 hours per day. Those who sat for over 8.5 hours per day had a 54 percent higher risk of getting hospitalized due to heart failure. 

Sedentary lifestyle increases risk even in physically active women

The findings confirm that when people have a sedentary lifestyle, they are more prone into developing chronic health conditions. Other studies also noted that being less active could lead a person to have high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, and premature death from many causes. 

The link between heart failure hospitalization risk and sedentary time still accounts for the known heart failure risk factors. Another note that one has to remember is that even subjects who were most physically active had an increased risk of heart failure hospitalization. 

It shows that you should move more and sit less. It could be as easy as standing up for five minutes and moving in place. 

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