An update from the Cooper Aerobic Institute – Dallas, TX

Low Fitness Linked To Heart Disease

Researchers at The Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas have published new findings on cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Appearing in a recent issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the findings shoe that having a moderate level of cardiorespiratory fitness may be one of the best ways to combat this deadly disease.

Steve Farrell, Ph.D., and his colleagues looked at 25,341 male patients who completed a preventative medical exam at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas between 1970 and 1989. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels were measured on a treadmill. The least-fit 20% in each age group were classified as low fit, the next 40% as moderately fit, and the remaining 40% as high fit.

Research showed that men with low fitness levels were more likely to die from heart disease than those who smoked cigarettes, had hypertension or an elevated blood cholesterol level. Despite the recent assertion by the American Heart Association that obesity is a major independent risk factor for CVD, a high body mass index (BMI) did not have a significant effect on cardiovascular mortality.

Farrell said he cannot confirm whether the same results will apply to women until more research is done. He noted that achieving a moderate fitness level only requires 30 minutes of activity a day, which can be done in three 10-minute bouts.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Based on estimates from the American Heart Association, CVD is a $259 billion annual health-care problem, accounting for about 1 million deaths each year.

Despite the fact that physical inactivity is identified as a major risk factor for heart disease, only about 24% of Americans are physically active on a regular basis. "We cannot overemphasize the value of physical fitness," Farrell said. "It's a shame that 1 million people die each year from a disease they might be able to prevent or delay."

Homocysteine: The New Cholesterol?

Homocysteine is getting a considerable amount of attention these days. In fact, some health researchers have referred to it as "the new cholesterol" and are evaluating its relationship to heart disease.

The evidence is quite strong that elevated homocysteine level is a significant risk factor for heart disease. Some experts believe homocysteine damages blood-vessel walls by increasing the buildup of plaque, or fatty material, in the arteries.

A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, indicated that post-menopausal women with elevated homocysteine levels faced a moderately increased risk of heart disease.

Dr. Paul Ridker of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and his team looked at the medical records of 28,263 women (average age 59), who had no history of heart disease or cancer. During a three-year follow-up, 122 of these women had a heart attack, heart surgery or stroke.

Researchers compared these women by age and smoking status with 244 women who did not have heart surgery, heart attack or stroke during the follow-up period. They found that the women with the highest levels of homocysteine had twice the risk of heart disease.

In addition, women in the study who took multivitamins containing folic acid had lower homocysteine levels. Folic acid has been found to lower homocysteine levels; vitamins B6 and B12 also appear to play a role in lowering homocysteine levels. Source: Medical Tribune

When you're forty-seven years old, you sometimes hear a small voice inside you that says: "Just because you've reached middle age, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take on new challenges and seek new adventures. You get only one ride on this crazy carousel we call life, and by golly you should make the most of it!" This is the voice of Satan.

Dave Barry