Resistance training reduces heart attack risk in women
Women who consistently engage in resistance training may decrease their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or experiencing a myocardial infarction (MI), according to new data published in JACC.[1] Limiting sedentary behavior also appeared to play a significant impact in reducing risk.
“CVD remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, underscoring the importance of prevention strategies,” wrote corresponding author Edward Giovannucci MD, ScD, a professor with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues. “Lifestyle modifications, particularly patterns of physical activity and sedentary behavior, are central to these strategies, as they address modifiable risk factors for CVD. While aerobic activity has been extensively studied and is widely endorsed for cardiovascular prevention, resistance training has been less emphasized, despite its distinct associations with health, including enhanced muscular strength, improved insulin sensitivity and favorable metabolic adaptations.”
Giovannucci et al. explored data from more than 117,000 adult women from the United States who had various lifestyle habits assessed up to five times. The mean ages at baseline were 66.8 years old for one cohort of more than 45,000 women and 48.1 years old for a second cohort of more than 71,000 women.
At baseline, the authors noted, women who engaged in regular resistance training were more likely to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and better diets. These women were also less likely to have diabetes, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia.
Overall, the authors identified 5,459 instances of major CVD—defined as nonfatal MI, stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary intervention—after a mean follow-up period of 14.5 years. Participants who reported the highest levels of resistance training were linked to the lowest risk of major CVD. This appears to primarily be driven by a reduced risk of MI—the risk of stroke did not seem to be influenced by a person’s participation in resistance training.
In addition, when comparing a variety of movement patterns, combining high levels of resistance training and aerobic training with a limited amount of sedentary television watching was linked to the lowest risk of CVD.
“Our findings highlight the importance of viewing cardiovascular prevention through the lens of integrated movement patterns rather than isolated behaviors,” the authors wrote. “In this large cohort of women, the lowest risks of major CVD and MI were observed among those who met aerobic activity recommendations, engaged in sufficient resistance training, and reported low sedentary time spent watching television. Clinically, this suggests that counseling should extend beyond a sole focus on aerobic exercise to also emphasize resistance training and reductions in sedentary behavior.”
Click here to read the full study in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.