In a new study from the University of Calgary, researchers found adults younger than age 60 whose days are filled with sedentary leisure time (which includes using the computer, TV, or reading) and little physical activity have a higher stroke risk than people who are more physically active.
According to American Heart Association statistics, U.S. adults spend an average of 10.5 hours a day connected to media such as smartphones, computers or television watching, and adults ages 50 to 64 spend the most time of any age group connected to media.
Data also show that stroke-related deaths decreased in 2010 among adults 65 years and older.
However, death from stroke appears to be on the rise among younger adults, ages 35 to 64 years – increasing from 14.7 in every 100,000 adults in 2010 to 15.4 per 100,000 in 2016.
Previous research suggests the more time adults spend sedentary, the greater their risk of cardiovascular disease including stroke, and nearly 9 in 10 strokes could be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as sedentary behaviors.
In the study, the team reviewed health and lifestyle information for 143,000 adults in years 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007-2012.
Researchers followed the participants for an average of 9.4 years and identified strokes through linkages with hospital records.
They found adults 60 years and younger who had low physical activity and reported eight or more hours of leisure sedentary time a day had a 4.2 times higher risk of stroke compared to those reporting less than four hours of daily leisure sedentary time.
The most inactive group — those reporting eight or more hours of sedentary time and low physical activity — had 7 times higher risk of stroke compared to those reporting less than four hours of sedentary time a day and higher levels of physical activity.
The team says adults 60 years and younger should be aware that very high sedentary time with little time spent on physical activity can have adverse effects on health, including increased risk of stroke.
Physical activity has a very important role in that it reduces the actual time spent sedentary, and it also seems to diminish the negative impact of excess sedentary time.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about this brain problem can increase risk of stroke for up to five years and findings of a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
For more information about stroke and your health, please see recent studies about these foods linked to high risks of heart disease and stroke and results showing that adding these drugs to statins may lower stroke risk.
The study is published in Stroke. One author of the study is Raed A. Joundi, M.D., D.Phil.
Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
