Adherence
Sustained lifestyle interventions targeting physical activity and dietary changes significantly reduce cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in adults, with long-term adherence being critical to maximizing these benefits.
To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, focus on making lasting changes to your diet and physical activity levels. While starting these changes is important, sticking with them over the long term is what truly lowers your risk and improves your quality of life.
Even modest sustained lifestyle changes can substantially reduce CVD morbidity and mortality. Because many of the beneficial effects of lifestyle changes accrue over time, long-term adherence maximizes individual and population benefits.
Why this rating
Based on Class I, Level A evidence from multiple randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses as defined by the AHA.
Source
Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and Dietary Lifestyle Changes for Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction in Adults
Nancy T. Artinian et al. · Circulation · 2010
DOI 10.1161/cir.0b013e3181e8edf1
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- 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.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →