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A routine of regular exercise, combined with a diet of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods, could be the key for middle-aged adults to achieving optimal cardiometabolic health in the future, according to new research using data from the Framingham Heart Study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, magazine of the American Heart Association, based in Dallas, United States.
One of the major risk factors for cardiovascular health is metabolic syndrome, a group of disorders made up of excess fat around the waist, insulin resistance and high blood pressureIn fact, the presence of the metabolic syndrome can increase the risk of developing heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
That’s why the U.S. health authorities recommend that adults at least perform 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per weeksuch as walking or swimming. On the other hand, the diet guidelines, updated in January 2021, offer suggestions on healthy eating patterns, nutritional goals, and dietary limits.
A study of 70 years
When analyzing the data of the participants in the Framingham Heart Study, which began more than 70 years ago in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, Researchers examined data from 2,379 adults ages 18 and older and their adherence to the two guidelines, both physical and diet.
Thus, they noted that adherence to a combination of the two recommendations was associated with middle age less likely to develop metabolic syndrome and develop serious conditions as the participants got older in their older age.
Healthcare professionals could use these findings to further promote and highlight their patients the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise program to prevent the development of many chronic health problems in current and later life, “said study author Vanessa Xanthakis,” he adds.
Necessary objectives
Study participants were selected from the third generation of the Framingham Heart StudyThis one, with an average age of 47 years and with a percentage of women of 54%, were investigated between 2008 and 2011. The researchers assessed physical activity using a specialized device known as an omnidirectional accelerometer.
The device, which tracks sedentary lifestyle and physical activity, was worn on the participant’s hip for eight days. Researchers too collected nutritional information using food frequency questionnaires to measure the types and levels of foods and nutrients consumed.
For example, the researchers noted that among all participants 28% met the recommendations of both physical activity and nutritional guidelines, while 47% reached the recommendations in only one of the guidelines.
Cardiovascular risk
In addition, the researchers also found that participants who only followed the exercise recommendations were 51% less likely to have metabolic syndrome, while participants who only followed the dietary guidelines were 33% less likely; and participants who followed both guidelines 65% less likely to develop metabolic syndrome
“In particular we observed a dose-response association of adherence to diet and exercise guidelines with the risk of developing cardiometabolic disease later in life, “said Xanthakis.” Participants who met the physical activity guidelines had a progressively lower risk of cardiometabolic disease the more they adhered to the dietary guidelines, ”he adds.
However, all study participants were white adults, so the results cannot be generalized to people of other racial or ethnic groups. “Further studies with a sample of multi-ethnic participants are needed”researchers have claimed.