Weightlifting better than walking and cycling for heart: Study

While it is well known that physical activities promote heart health, a new study suggests that weightlifting, rather than walking and cycling, can better help keep heart diseases at bay.

The study showed that engaging in both static activities such as strength training and dynamic activities like walking and cycling was associated with 30 to 70 per cent lower rates of cardiovascular disease risk factors. 

But, the associations were strongest for strength training among youth than older adults.

"Both strength training and aerobic activity appeared to be heart healthy, even in small amounts, at the population level," said Maia P. Smith, Assistant Professor at St. George's University in Grenada. 

"However, static activity appeared more beneficial than dynamic," Smith added.
Further, the researchers suggested that clinicians should counsel patients, especially the elderly, to exercise regardless of activity types as patients who did both types of physical activity fared better than patients who simply increased the level of one type of activity.

"The important thing is to make sure they are engaging in physical activity," Smith said.

The findings were presented at the ACC Latin America Conference 2018 in Peru. For the study, the researchers included 4,086 adults aged 21 to 44 or over 45.

The team analysed cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol, as a function of self-reported static and/or dynamic activity.