A 20-minute daily walk may improve heart health in those with high CVD risk

It is common knowledge at this point that exercise — including brisk walking — is important for one’s health, especially cardiovascular health. Some people, however, face significant barriers to getting sufficient exercise. There is a disproportionate incidence of cardiovascular disease among such people. American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a scientific statement intended to help address disparities in opportunities to exercise to improve cardiovascular health for all Americans. The AHA suggests that even a short, 20-minute brisk walk each day can help people maintain cardiovascular health. Less than one in four adultsTrusted Source partake in the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity. People at higher cardiovascular risk include older people, people with disabilities, Black people, people with lower socioeconomic status living in both urban and rural areas, and people with mental health challenges such as depression. Calling on physicians and other healthcare providers, legislators, and governmental agencies, the AHA envisions a broad coalition working together to provide more equitable investments in health. This includes prioritizing individuals’ activity levels and allocating more resources to help those in high risk groups make physical activity a part of their everyday lives. The AHA’s scientific statement is published in the journal CirculationTrusted Source. Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking are linked to higher incidences of CVD. Making things more dire, CVD risk factors are also associated with a lack of physical activity for people who have them, adding yet another risk factor. According to the AHA, there is strong evidence that people with obesity, hypertension, and diabetes not get enough heart-healthy exercise. On the other hand, research findings are inconsistent or insufficient, the statement says, for concluding that high cholesterol and smoking also inhibit physical activity. CT contrast media injector, DSA contrast media injector, MRI contrast media injector is used to inject contrast medium in medical imaging scanning to improve image contrast and facilitate patient diagnosis.