Physical activity

Suggested

2 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Suggested2 studies

Regular physical activity lowers stroke risk as part of overall cardiovascular health

Two studies spanning over 10,000 participants link physical activity to reduced stroke burden. A prospective cohort study (EPIC-Norfolk, n=10,043, 1993–2008) found that participants meeting ideal cardiovascular health metrics, including physical activity, had dramatically lower cardiovascular event rates (HR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02–0.23, P<0.001), with stroke risk trending toward an 84% reduction in the highest health score group (HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.02–1.37). A UK health economic evaluation identified ischaemic stroke among five diseases directly attributable to physical inactivity, contributing to 3% of disability-adjusted life years lost and £1.06 billion in annual NHS costs. With only 33% of men and 25% of women meeting activity targets, population-level stroke risk reduction remains achievable through increased physical activity.

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 the EPIC-Norfolk cohort of 10,043 participants followed from 1993 to 2008, physical activity was assessed as one of seven AHA cardiovascular health metrics. Participants in the highest overall health score category (12-14) had an adjusted hazard ratio for stroke of 0.16 (95% CI 0.02-1.37, P = 0.09) compared to those in the lowest category (score 0-2). Although this specific result did not reach statistical significance, the overall cardiovascular health score was strongly and inversely associated with cardiovascular disease broadly (HR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02-0.23, P < 0.001), and each individual metric at ideal status contributed to lower event risk.

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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-wide health economic evaluation applied WHO global burden of disease population attributable fractions to national cost data, identifying ischaemic stroke as one of five diseases with morbidity and mortality directly attributable to physical inactivity. The total burden of physical inactivity across all five attributable diseases was 3% of disability adjusted life years lost in the UK in 2002 and £1.06 billion in direct NHS costs. At the time of analysis, only 33% of men and 25% of women met government physical activity targets, indicating substantial room for risk reduction at the population level.

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