Research
Adherence
Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.
If you have been inactive, starting to exercise in middle age still provides significant protection against heart disease. You do not need to have been active your whole life to benefit; the key is to transition from sedentary to active.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Sedentary women who became active in middle adulthood or later had a lower risk of coronary events than their counterparts who remained sedentary.
Why this rating
Large cohort, longitudinal data tracking changes over 6 years (1980-1986).
Source
A Prospective Study of Walking as Compared with Vigorous Exercise in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women
JoAnn E. Manson et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 1999
cohort · n=72488Cited 1,015×
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