People recovering from heart attack symptoms who remain sedentary for over 14 hours a day may face a significantly higher risk of another cardiovascular event or death within a year, according to a new study in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Researchers tracked over 600 patients discharged from a New York City hospital after treatment for heart-related symptoms. Participants wore wrist accelerometers for 30 days to measure movement and inactivity. Follow-ups one year later revealed that those in the least active group were 2.58 times more likely to suffer a serious event or die compared to the most active group.
Replacing just 30 minutes of sedentary time each day with:
- Moderate to vigorous activity – reduced risk by 61%
- Light activity – reduced risk by 50%
- Sleep – reduced risk by 14%
“Sitting less and moving or even sleeping more can make a real difference,” said lead author Dr. Keith Diaz of Columbia University Medical Center. “Our findings support a flexible, personalized approach to activity after a heart event.”
Activity levels varied widely:
- Most active group: ~25 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, ~11.7 hours sedentary
- Least active group: ~2.7 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous activity, ~15.6 hours sedentary
The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, reinforces the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” for cardiovascular health, which includes physical activity and adequate sleep. Experts emphasize that even small increases in movement—like walking, tidying, or gardening—can dramatically reduce health risks.
“This study shows that replacing sitting with any physical movement, even light activity, can significantly lower the risk of heart events,” said Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs, epidemiologist at West Virginia University. “The message is simple: sit less, move more—anything counts.”
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