Millions of people around the world suffer from atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular heartbeat. If left untreated, atrial fibrillation can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications, such as stroke or heart failure. Scientists have recently found out just how much walking can help prevent atrial fibrillation.
ContentWhat did the study show? Does walking reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation? How much does walking help prevent atrial fibrillation?
It turns out that you don't need much. WomanEL shares the findings of a study that once again proves how effective walking is.
What did the study show?
Researchers from NYU Langone Health presented their findings at the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting on November 16. In the study, they tracked the health of more than 6,000 American men and women using FitBits. The researchers found that people with higher levels of weekly physical activity were less likely to develop atrial fibrillation.
Study participants who averaged 2.5 to 5 hours of physical activity per week had a 60% lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Those who averaged more than 5 hours per week had a 65% lower risk.
Should you walk in the evening or in the morning? There has long been a debate about the best time to walk. Here are our findings.
Does walking reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation?
According to the results of this study, yes. Researchers found that moderate to vigorous physical activity, which can include brisk walking, house cleaning, swimming laps, and jogging, reduces the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
“Our results clearly show that you don't need to start running marathons to prevent atrial fibrillation and other forms of heart disease,” senior study author Sean Heffron said in a statement. “Simply being moderately active can have big benefits over time for heart health.”
How good is walking to avoid atrial fibrillation?
It depends on how much you want to reduce your risk. Researchers found that an extra hour a week of physical activity (such as walking) can reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation by 11 percent.
But more walking appears to reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation even more. Up to five hours a week reduces the risk by 60 percent.
By the way, you can determine whether there is a risk of early dementia by your walking. Here's what you need to pay attention to.