KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — A new study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States has found that more than half of women with cardiovascular disease continue not to exercise enough, and the number has increased over the past decade.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the U.S.
The American Heart Association estimates that every year it kills around 400,000 women. This is approximately the combined total of females who die from cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes.
Despite this, most cases of cardiovascular disease can be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices, such as exercising and following a balanced, healthful diet.
The study suggests that more needs to be done to improve physical activity among women with cardiovascular disease who would benefit from increasing their exercise levels.
This intervention would also decrease their healthcare costs associated with cardiovascular disorders.
“Physical activity is a known, cost-effective prevention strategy for women with and without cardiovascular disease, and our study shows worsening health and financial trends over time among women with cardiovascular disease who don’t get enough physical activity,” says Victor Okunrintemi, author of the study.
The study found that the number of women with cardiovascular disease not meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines increased from 2006 to 2015, rising from 58 percent to nearly 62 percent. They also found trends related to age, race, and socioeconomic factors.
Their findings showed that women between 40–64 years old were the age group that was increasing not getting enough exercise.
