Physical activity

Suggested

2 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Physical activity – Coronary Heart Disease

Suggested2 studies

Regular physical activity dramatically lowers coronary heart disease risk and healthcare burden

Two studies encompassing over 10,000 participants link physical activity to substantially reduced coronary heart disease outcomes. A prospective cohort study (EPIC-Norfolk, n=10,043, 1993-2008) found that ideal cardiovascular health status, including physical activity, yielded an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.07 (95% CI 0.02-0.29, P < 0.001) for coronary heart disease — a 93% risk reduction compared to the lowest health category. A UK health economic evaluation confirmed ischaemic heart disease as directly attributable to physical inactivity, which accounts for 3% of all disability adjusted life years lost nationally and £1.06 billion in direct NHS costs. At the time of analysis, only 33% of men and 25% of women met recommended physical activity targets, underscoring the gap between evidence and population behavior.

Evidence

Ideal cardiovascular health and risk of cardiovascular events in the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

Authors: Boekholdt, S Matthijs, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Lachman, Sangeeta, Lentjes, Marleen Ah, Luben, Robert N, Mulligan, Angela A, Peters, Ron Jg, Wareham, Nicholas J

Published: September 2, 2015

In a prospective cohort of 10,043 participants followed from 1993 to 2008 in the EPIC-Norfolk study, ideal physical activity status was independently associated with lower cardiovascular event risk. Participants in the highest overall cardiovascular health score category (12-14) had an adjusted hazard ratio for coronary heart disease of 0.07 (95% CI 0.02-0.29, P < 0.001) and for cardiovascular disease of 0.07 (95% CI 0.02-0.23, P < 0.001) compared to those in the lowest category (score 0-2). Each individual metric at ideal status, including physical activity, contributed to a more favorable cardiovascular risk profile.

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The burden of physical activity-related ill health in the UK

Authors: Allender, Steven, Foster, Charles, Rayner, Mike, Scarborough, Peter

Published: April 1, 2007

A UK health economic evaluation using WHO global burden of disease data identified ischaemic heart disease as one of five diseases directly attributable to physical inactivity. Population attributable fractions for physical inactivity were applied to UK Health Service cost data. Physical inactivity was directly responsible for 3% of all disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in the UK in 2002, with an estimated direct National Health Service cost of £1.06 billion across all attributable conditions. Only 33% of men and 25% of women were meeting government targets for physical activity at the time of the analysis.

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