Regular exercise can lower the risk of heart disease and help weight loss.

A study carried out by the Chelsea School Research Centre, University of Brighton, Sussex examined whether they could modify the risks of coronary heart disease using exercise among coronary heart disease patients.

Under a GP exercise referral programme, 345 selected patients were all either smokers, had high blood pressure or were overweight. Those in the exercise group were offered 20 half-price sessions over 10 weeks at a leisure centre in which they engaged in moderate and vigorous aerobic type activity on various machines.

The results showed that 87% of those referred used the prescription and 28% (high users)(45% of obese patients) did at least 15 sessions. Those who were in the exercise group reduced their skinfolds by 9.2%. High users of the exercise programme reduced their systolic blood pressure by 7.2% compared with those who only exercised occasionally.

The reduction in skinfolds lasted up to 26 weeks and a reduction in systolic blood pressure was evident up to 37 weeks among both groups of high users of the exercise programme.

In comparison to low users of the exercise routine, those carrying out the routines benefited significantly from regular exercise in reducing skinfolds and lowering blood pressure. This suggests that the more the patients complied with their GP’s prescription to carry out the exercise programme, the more positive benefits they received in terms of reducing the risk of coronary disease.

© The Internet Health Library 2000