08/02/2021 11:40
Clarín.com
Good Life
Updated 08/02/2021 11:49
Obesity is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular problems and is, at the same time, a condition that can make them worse.
Multiple studies show the importance of making lifestyle changes to reduce these risks, and in this framework a new study is included that found that exercise added to a
moderate change in
daily
caloric intake
is associated with improvements.
The research, published in the
American Heart Association (AHA)
journal
Circulation
, showed that these small changes combined can make a difference in improving vascular health in obese older adults.
Researchers from the Wake Forest School of Medicine (in the United States) concluded that the elimination of around
250 calories per day in conjunction
with 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise (walking, running or other activities that increase the heart rate ) was associated with a
significant improvement
in aortic stiffness, a measure of vascular health.
Against arterial stiffness
The aorta is the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Stiffness is a
long-term
prognostic predictor
of heart attack, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), cognitive disorders, kidney failure.
Over the years, the arteries
lose their elasticity
(the heart must work harder to contract and pump blood throughout the body), so it is not surprising to find stiffness in the vessels of the elderly (although it is a problem that is is seeing each time at younger ages).
Modifiable lifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet and regular physical activity, can help
offset age-related increases in aortic stiffness
.
Although aerobic exercise generally has favorable effects on the structure and function of the aorta, previous studies have shown that
exercise alone may not be sufficient
to improve stiffness in obese older adults.
Small lifestyle changes are associated with benefits.
Photo Shutterstock.
Better, moderation
"We were surprised to find that
moderate caloric reduction
and aerobic activity had a better effect on the arteries than exercise with a more restrictive diet," said study lead author Tina Brinkley, associate professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the School of Wake Forest Medicine.
"These
relatively small changes
should be manageable for people and more sustainable in the long term," he enthused.
Brinkley led the randomized controlled trial that included 160 sedentary adults,
aged 65 to 79 years with obesity
defined as a body mass index of 30 to 45 kg / m2.
BMI is an indicator of the relationship between weight and height (height) that is frequently used to identify overweight and obesity in adults.
It is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilos by the square of their height in meters (kg / m2).
If the result of that calculation is
above 30, it is considered obesity
(you can calculate your BMI here).
Being overweight is a risk factor for cardiovascular health.
Photo Shutterstock.
Exercise and fewer calories
"This is the first study to evaluate the effects
of calorie-reduced and non-caloric
aerobic exercise training
on aortic stiffness, which was measured using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) to obtain detailed images of the aorta," Brinkley said.
The objective?
"We sought to determine whether adding caloric restriction for weight loss would lead to greater improvements in vascular health compared to aerobic exercise alone in obese older adults," he explained.
Study participants were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups for 20 weeks:
exercise alone
, exercise plus moderate calorie restriction (approximately
250 calories
), or exercise plus more intensive caloric restriction (reduction of around
600 calories
).
All study participants received supervised aerobic exercise training four days a week at the Geriatric Research Center at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
And the groups that performed calorie restrictions were supervised by dietitians.
They advise doing at least 30 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity.
Photo Shutterstock.
Why is maintaining a healthy weight important for heart health?
Because a higher body mass index, total body fat and abdominal fat mainly, are associated with higher aortic stiffness, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, and even death).
The research team found that loss of
about 10% of total body weight
or about 9 kilos over the five-month study period was associated with significant improvements in aortic stiffness only in participants assigned to the exercise plus restriction group. moderate caloric.
None of the measures of aortic stiffness changed significantly in the group that only incorporated exercise or in the group that combined activity with more intensive caloric restriction.
Additionally, changes in body mass index, total fat mass, body fat percentage, abdominal fat, and waist circumference were greater in the calorie-restricted groups compared to the exercise-only group.
The
weight loss was similar
among groups with caloric restriction, although the more intensive group reduced almost twice the intake (26.7% reduction in calories compared to a reduction of 14.2%).
However, the group with the most restrictive diet did not show any improvement in aortic stiffness even though they had similar decreases in weight and blood pressure as the group with moderate restrictions, surprising the researchers.
These results suggest that combining exercise with
modest calorie restriction,
rather than more intensive calorie restriction or just exercising, is likely to maximize vascular health benefits, while optimizing weight loss and improvements in muscle mass. body composition and body fat distribution, they noted.
"The finding that higher intensity calorie restriction
may not be necessary or advised
has important implications for weight loss recommendations to improve cardiovascular disease risk in obese older adults," concluded the study's lead author.
Look also
Higher levels of omega-3 are associated with more years of life: what foods provide it
Arrhythmia: Does coffee "speed up" the heart?