short bursts of activity reduce deaths from CVD

Researchers from the University of Sydney have some good news for those of us who are time poor and struggling to fit in recommended levels of exercise. A recent study published by Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis and his team found that small bursts of activity throughout the day can reduce deaths and illness caused by cardiovascular disease. This is of particular importance for Australian women, with cardiovascular disease under-researched and underdiagnosed in this population, despite the fact it is a leading cause of death.

The recent study followed participants over a period of seven years using data from wrist-worn trackers from a large group of adults aged between 40 and 69 years. The trackers measured the activity levels of people who reported that they do not exercise and was able to evaluate levels of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) undertaken. This is a relatively new concept in physical activity research and refers to vigorous stints of activity of only 1 to 2 minutes. This might include things like chasing your child at the playground, rushing up a number of flights of stairs or running to meeting when you are late.

The researchers found that three to four periods of VILPA every day can reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease by 49%. The study also found that the same amount of activity was associated with a reduced risk for cancer related deaths and all-cause mortality. These important findings mean that there the risk of cardiovascular related death is reduced by approximately 33% with just over 4 minutes of VILPA per day. Over the course of a week this would equate to around 31 minutes of intense physical activity.

Why is this finding so important for women?

Whilst most often associated with older males, cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death for women in Australia and globally. Cardiovascular disease in men and women refers to a range of illnesses affecting the heart including coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. In 2017/2018 in Australia, it was reported that approximately 510 000 women had some form of cardiovascular disease. This results in around 22 000 deaths and more than 200 000 hospitalisations due cardiovascular disease in Australian women each year.

Historically clinical trials have focused on research into men, meaning that the condition is understudied and under-recognised in women. The lack of research specifically into cardiovascular disease in women has led to ongoing limitations in diagnosis and treatment. More and more research is showing that there are differences in cardiovascular disease in women compared to men, including differences in risks, treatments and symptoms.

Importantly, gender differences in the clinical presentation of cardiovascular disease have been identified which may make diagnosis in women more difficult. The evidence shows that in both men and women, chest pain is a commonly reported symptom. However, women often present with additional symptoms including fatigue, nausea and sleep disturbance. Additionally, the types of chest pain often associated with cardiovascular disease in women may differ, with current understanding of this symptom presentation predominantly transferred from male specific studies.

The risks of cardiovascular disease for women are higher than that for men for a number of risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension. Increasing age is also a significant risk factor for women, particularly in post-menopausal stages when the risk of disease in women is comparable to men. Lack of physical activity is also a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease in both men and women.

In Australia, approximately half of the population are currently not undertaking enough physical activity to meet the recommended guidelines. Almost 60% of women report sufficient levels of physical activity. This changes with age with around half of women aged between 18 and 24 years sufficiently active compared to only one quarter of women aged over 65 years. With increasing risk of cardiovascular disease for women as they age, physical activity is inherently important.

Where to from here?

Whilst these findings in relation to VILPA and cardiovascular risk are a positive step forward in our understanding of the benefits of physical activity there is much to do to further this work, as well as to better understand cardiovascular disease specifically in women. The researchers from this specific study are also making a case for updating current guidelines for recommended levels of physical activity. But whilst we wait for further progress in this area, perhaps we could all make an extra effort to run up the stairs instead of walking during our day. I’m certainly going to try.

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