Exercise Lowers Genetic Risk of Heart Disease
Exercise Lowers Genetic Risk of Heart Disease
People Predisposed to Stiff Arteries Even the Odds Through Exercise
July 15, 2003 -- Don't blame your genes. People "destined" to have heart disease don't get it -- if they get regular exercise.
The finding comes from a study of 684 healthy female twins, including 52 identical twins. Jerry R. Greenfield, MD, of St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues ranked the twins on a score of arterial stiffness. A high score means high risk of heart disease and death from heart disease.
Some of the twins had genetic factors that predisposed them to high risk of heart disease. But when they exercised regularly, their heart-disease risk was no higher than that of normal people.
Identical twins who differed in arterial stiffness also differed in body fat distribution.
"The most interesting result from the study was that in high-genetic-risk twins, regular leisure-time physical activity reduced [arterial stiffness] values to values not different from the low-genetic-risk twins," Greenfield says in a news release.
That's not the only interesting finding. Apple shaped people -- those fat around the waist -- have a higher risk of heart disease than people who are pear shaped, carrying fat mostly below the waist.
"For the first time, the results of the study provide a direct link between accumulation of fat in the abdominal region and arterial stiffness," Greenfield says. "The study also demonstrates higher arterial stiffness in smokers."
The findings appear in the July 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Exercise Lowers Genetic Heart Risk
People Predisposed to Stiff Arteries Even the Odds Through Exercise
July 15, 2003 -- Don't blame your genes. People "destined" to have heart disease don't get it -- if they get regular exercise.
The finding comes from a study of 684 healthy female twins, including 52 identical twins. Jerry R. Greenfield, MD, of St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues ranked the twins on a score of arterial stiffness. A high score means high risk of heart disease and death from heart disease.
Some of the twins had genetic factors that predisposed them to high risk of heart disease. But when they exercised regularly, their heart-disease risk was no higher than that of normal people.
Identical twins who differed in arterial stiffness also differed in body fat distribution.
"The most interesting result from the study was that in high-genetic-risk twins, regular leisure-time physical activity reduced [arterial stiffness] values to values not different from the low-genetic-risk twins," Greenfield says in a news release.
That's not the only interesting finding. Apple shaped people -- those fat around the waist -- have a higher risk of heart disease than people who are pear shaped, carrying fat mostly below the waist.
"For the first time, the results of the study provide a direct link between accumulation of fat in the abdominal region and arterial stiffness," Greenfield says. "The study also demonstrates higher arterial stiffness in smokers."
The findings appear in the July 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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