Physical activity

Suggested

2 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Physical activity – Cardiovascular Disease

Suggested2 studies

Regular physical activity cuts cardiovascular disease risk nearly in half

Two large cohort studies involving over 263,000 participants demonstrate a strong protective effect of physical activity against cardiovascular disease. In the UK Biobank study, cycling commuters showed a 46% lower risk of CVD incidence (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.88) and 52% lower CVD mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.92) over a median 5-year follow-up. A multi-country European analysis across four cohorts confirmed that physical inactivity independently reduces disease-free life expectancy, with active individuals living approximately 6 additional years free of chronic diseases including CVD. These consistent findings across diverse populations in the UK, England, Finland, France, and Sweden reinforce physical activity as a modifiable factor with substantial cardiovascular benefit.

Evidence

Association between active commuting and incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: prospective cohort study

Authors: Anderson, Jana, Celis-Morales, Carlos A., Gill, Jason M.R., Guo, Yibing, Lyall, Donald M., Mackay, Daniel F., Maldonado, Reno, Pell, Jill P., Sattar, Naveed, Steell, Lewis, Welsh, Paul

Published: April 19, 2017

UK Biobank prospective cohort study of 263,450 participants (52% women, mean age 52.6) followed for median 5.0 years. Cycling commuting associated with lower CVD incidence (hazard ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.88, P=0.01) and CVD mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.92, P=0.03) in maximally adjusted models. Total of 1,110 CVD events and 496 CVD-related deaths occurred during follow-up.

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Smoking, physical inactivity and obesity as predictors of healthy and disease-free life expectancy between ages 50 and 75 : a multicohort study

Authors: Aalto, Ville, Goldberg, Marcel, Hanson, Linda Magnuson, Head, Jenny, Kawachi, Ichiro, Kivimaki, Mika, Stenholm, Sari, Vahtera, Jussi, Westerlund, Hugo, Zaninotto, Paola, Zins, Marie

Published: August 1, 2016

Across four European cohort studies from England, Finland, France, and Sweden, physical inactivity was examined alongside smoking and obesity (BMI >= 30 kg/m²) as a predictor of chronic disease-free life expectancy between ages 50 and 75. Individuals with no behavioural risk factors lived on average 6 years longer free of chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes) compared to those with two or more risk factors. Physical inactivity as a single risk factor was independently associated with reduced healthy years. Multistate life table models produced sex-specific estimates showing consistent patterns across all four cohorts, with no meaningful between-country differences in the magnitude of the association.

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