People who do this simple exercise have a whopping 97.1% lower risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation, stroke, myocardial infarction, and early death, according to a new study published today.

Research involving over 15,000 participants indicates a correlation between physical well-being and reduced risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation and strokes. This groundbreaking study was unveiled at ESC Congress 2023.

Atrial fibrillation, the leading heart rhythm disturbance, impacts over 40 million individuals across the globe. Data suggests that a third of Europeans might experience this condition in their lifetime. Notably, those afflicted with it face a risk of stroke that’s five times greater than others. The primary focus of the research was to understand if there was a connection between one’s fitness and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation.

The research included 15,450 individuals, none of whom had atrial fibrillation. They were subjected to a treadmill test during the period from 2003 to 2012. Most participants were around 55 years old and a significant portion, 59%, were male. The Bruce protocol was employed to evaluate their fitness levels.

This method required participants to increase their walking speed and incline during continuous three-minute intervals. Their fitness was quantified based on energy expenditure, denoted in metabolic equivalents (METs).

The participants’ health was then monitored for occurrences such as atrial fibrillation, stroke, heart attacks, and mortality. Post accounting for potential confounders like age, gender, cholesterol, kidney health, previous stroke cases, hypertension, and medication, the team delved into the link between fitness and cardiovascular issues.

Over a span of about 137 months, atrial fibrillation was detected in 515 participants or 3.3%. Remarkably, for every unit increase in MET during the treadmill test, there was an 8% decreased risk of atrial fibrillation, a 12% reduction in stroke risk, and a 14% decrease in major cardiovascular events.

On categorizing participants based on METs from their treadmill test results into low (under 8.57 METs), medium (from 8.57 to 10.72), and high (above 10.72) fitness brackets, the respective percentages of those remaining atrial fibrillation-free over five years were 97.1%, 98.4%, and 98.4%.

Dr. Shih-Hsien Sung from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, one of the researchers, commented, “This was a large study with an objective measurement of fitness and more than 11 years of follow up. The findings indicate that keeping fit may help prevent atrial fibrillation and stroke.”

Overall findings suggest whether you run on a treadmill or in nature, running and walking can improve your overall fitness and reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke, myocardial infarction, and even death.

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