Physical activity is an effective way to protect cardiovascular health. It is never too late to start being physically active and any exercise is better than none.
These are the main conclusions of the most recent report from the “European Heart Network” – an alliance of foundations and associations dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, and supporting patients throughout Europe – with the collaboration of Romeu Mendes, a researcher at the Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), currently serving the World Health Organization.
The report gathers scientific evidence on the effectiveness of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of brain-cardiovascular diseases and issues recommendations for policy makers, giving examples of good practice.
“We know that physical inactivity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by more than 20% and that they are responsible for around 45% of all deaths at the European level. We are talking about something like 3.9 million deaths in Europe every year. Even so, on the European continent, it is estimated that about 25% of women and 22% of men are physically inactive”, says the ISPUP researcher, who also works with the National Program for the Promotion of Physical Activity of the Directorate General for Health (DGS).
The report stresses that the practice of physical activity is beneficial for both healthy people and individuals living with cardiovascular diseases, and points out the recommended: at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity.
The document also highlights the gap between the current scientific evidence, which demonstrates the benefits of physical activity for the control of cardiovascular diseases, and the implementation of public policies in this regard. “The report is especially aimed at decision makers who influence public policies at the European and national levels and who, through the adoption of concrete measures, can promote physical activity in the population”, says Romeu Mendes.
The authors of the document also underline the importance of physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation, highlighting the need to increase the offer of flexible rehabilitation programs adapted to the context and needs of patients.
The report, entitled Physical Activity Policies for Cardiovascular Health, is available for consultation.
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