Exercise Cuts Risk of Stroke
High levels of leisure-time physical activity -- such as swimming,
running or heavy gardening -- can cut your stroke risk, the results
of a Finnish study suggest.
The study of 47,721 Finns, ages 25 to 64, also found that cycling
or walking to work each day helps reduce the risk of stroke.
Study participants who reported high levels of leisure-time physical
activity had a 26 percent lower risk of any kind of stroke than
those with a low level of physical activity. People with a moderate
level of physical activity had a 14 percent lower risk of stroke
than those with low activity levels.
"Since the increase in computerization and mechanization has
resulted in ever-increasing numbers of people being sedentary
for most of their working time, adding short time exercise during
working breaks or adding walking activity during work time is
recommended. We believe it would be cost efficient for employers,"
study lead investigator Gang Hu of the National Public Health
Institute in Finland, said in a prepared statement.
In their report, published in the Aug. 5 issue of the journal
Stroke, the investigators also examined the link between
levels of physical activity and the risk for specific kinds of
stroke. Compared to people with low levels of physical activity,
the risk of ischemic stroke -- caused by a blood clot that blocks
blood flow to the brain -- was 20 percent lower for those with
high physical activity levels and 13 percent lower for those with
moderate activity levels.
The risk of subarachnoid stroke -- caused by bleeding between
the brain and its membrane -- was 54 percent lower among people
with high activity levels and 13 percent lower among those with
moderate activity levels. The risk for intracranial hemorrhage
-- bleeding into the brain -- was 37 percent lower for people
with high activity levels and 23 percent lower for those with
moderate activity levels.
Compared to people who got no exercise going to work, those who
walked or cycled to work for more than 30 minutes had an 11 percent
lower risk of stroke, while those who got one to 29 minutes of
exercise on the way to work had an eight percent lower stroke
risk.
"People should increase their physical activity during leisure
time or commuting to lower the risk of stroke," Hu said.
Reference
Source 101
August
5, 2005
For
more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
PreventDisease.com's "Quick
Prevention Resources".
|
