SAN DIEGO - A new study shows performing routine activities such as housework, gardening and cooking can significantly improve cardiovascular health for older women.
Health officials said heart disease is the leading cause of death in U.S. women. Researchers at the University of California, San Deigo said women with at least four hours of daily life movement had a 43% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, 43% lower risk of coronary heart disease, 30% lower risk of stroke, and notably, a 62% lower risk of cardiovascular disease death.
That’s compared to women with less than two hours per day of daily life movement. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. RELATED: Owning a pet may help slow cognitive decline in older adults, study findsThe study ncluded researchers measuring the physical activity of more than 5,400 American women between 63 and 97 years old and who did not have heart disease at the start of the study.
Participants wore a research-grade accelerometer for up to seven days in 2014 to see how much time they spent moving, including daily life behaviors.