ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is by far the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and around the world. Regular physical activity has been repeatedly shown to lower the risk of CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes. This chapter focuses on physical activity and its effect to lower the risk of CVD. The most important finding is that reduction and risk of CHD or CVD is most strongly associated within individuals above the 25th percentile of physical fitness. Meta-analyses have shown that a reduction of risk of stroke associated with physical activity/aerobic exercise ranges between 20% and 40%. A variety of techniques are utilized to measure both physical fitness and physical activity. There also appears to be a relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic syndrome although this has not been studied as extensively as physical activity. The increase in metabolic syndrome correlates with increase in prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
