HHS HealthBeat (May 14, 2012)

Working down the risk

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A study indicates that even if people can’t work off the weight, being physically active may reduce factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can affect their risk of cardiovascular disease. At the University of South Carolina, researcher D.C. Lee saw this in six years of weight and exercise data on more than 3,100 healthy adults. Lee saw a benefit even if people gained weight.

“Even though they gained fatness, if they improved or maintained their fitness level, they decreased their risk of developing those cardiovascular disease risk factors.”

So Lee says people should keep active.

The study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 14, 2012