Physical Activity Lowers Heart Disease Risk

Middle-aged women who moved around more had less fat around vital organs, study finds

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

Related Encyclopedia • Acne • Alzheimer's Disease • Amenorrhea • Amniocentesis More... Related Healthscout Videos Preventing Breast Cancer Tracking Breast Cancer Treatment Howard: The Helping Hand for Stroke Survivors Easier Radiation for Breast Cancer More... Related Animations • Allergy • Alzheimer's Disease Video Animation • Angioplasty • Breast Reduction More... Related Drug Information • Accupril • Actonel • Altace • Avapro More... Related News Articles • Drowsy Drivers Make Holiday Weekend Among the Most Dangerous • Health Tip: Talk to Loved Ones About Your Alzheimer's • Obese Patients at Greater Infection Risk After Hip Replacement • Carbon Monoxide May Help Bypass Surgery Patients More...

FRIDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that middle-aged women who move around more in their daily life have lower levels of intra-abdominal fat, a risk factor for heart disease.

"A minor modification to your weekly activity, such as reducing the time you watch TV or increasing the time you walk to work or school, can make a difference in your long-term health," said study author Dr. Sheila Dugan, a physiatrist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. The results held true for both white and black women.

Text Continues Below

---

"Focusing on visceral fat has become a real hot topic because of metabolic syndrome [which predisposes people to disease], and part of what leads us to diagnose metabolic syndrome is visceral fat content," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Here, they're targeting one of the highest risk factors which causes metabolic syndrome, which is one of greatest reasons to develop coronary artery disease. Not only does exercise help condition your heart, but it helps to decrease this risk of visceral fat, which is huge."

Dugan is expected to present her findings in New Orleans on Friday at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting.

Intra-abdominal fat, or the fat that wraps around the organs in the abdomen and chest, tends to accumulate at midlife and can contribute to developing diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

"Separately, the fat around the organs is known to be more related to heart disease and diabetes and other things that can cause long-term chronic problems," Dugan confirmed.

And a woman does not need to appear outwardly heavy to have a potentially troublesome extra "tire" around her organs.

Previous studies have found that exercise can reduce the amount of intra-abdominal fat a woman carries around.

Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>