A 30 year study of whether cardiorespiratory fitness can reduce the chances of stroke or not determined that a moderation of aerobic exercise 5 days out of the week can exponentially reduce the chances of stroke in men and women. About 780,000 people in the U.S have a stroke annually. Out of those people, it’s terminal for 150,000 of them. Stroke is considered to be the number one long term disability and rated number three cause of death in the U.S.
The study consisted of 61,000 participants from 1970 and ended in 2001 at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, Texas. The age range was 18 to 100 and no one had a cardiovascular challenge. In the duration of the study, 692 men and 171 women had strokes.
The study started with testing the participants’ fitness level by using treadmills and they were divided into four groups according to their fitness level. The results were that men with the highest fitness level had 40 percent lower chance of having a stroke than those men in lower fitness level. Even the participants who engaged in moderate activity such as taking a walk 5 days a week had benefited greatly. The results were women were about the same.
The positive effects of exercising outweighed the chances of bad health conditions that are caused from smoking, history of cardiovascular disease, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and diabetes.
Most participants were mainly caucasian who are well educated and have upper income levels, so the results for other ethnic groups and lifestyle levels needs to be researched. However, physical fitness reducing the chances of stroke is inevitable. Even if a person doesn’t own a exercise machines such as treadmills, a brisk walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week or walking in the mall with friends will do the trick.
Source: Science Daily. “Moderate Level of Aerobic Fitness May Lower Stroke Risk.” Press Release February 2008.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080221161356.htm
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