Exercise Combats Genetic Heart Disease Risk

A new study has found that regular exercise erases genetic heart disease risk.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 600,000 Americans lose their lives each year due to heart disease. While advancements in modern medicine have led to new and improved treatment and preventative options, heart disease remains one of the largest threats to public health.

Medical experts have identified a number of risk factors associated with heart disease, one of which is genetics. If your family has a history of heart disease, for instance, you'll naturally have a greater risk of developing it as well. However, a recent study has found exercise to be effective in eliminating genetic heart disease risk.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from several existing studies involving more than 21,000 Americans. They found that certain genes can roughly double the risk of heart disease. However, they also found that smart lifestyle choices cuts this risk in half. Furthermore, they found that a terrible lifestyle erases half the benefits of good genetics, attesting to the importance of maintaining a smart lifestyle in regards to your health.

"DNA is not destiny; it is not deterministic for this disease,” said Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, the director of the Center for Human Genetic Research at Massachusetts General Hospital. “You do have control over the problem, even if you have been dealt a bad genetic hand.”

This begs the question: what lifestyle choices can you make to combat heart disease and its associated risk factors? For starters, make sure you get plenty of exercise. Researchers found exercise to be the single most effective way to curb heart disease. Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day is a great way to burn calories and fat, build muscle, and fend off heart disease.

Eating the right foods is also an important step towards a healthier heart. Experts recommend focusing your diet around lean means, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, while also limiting your consumption of saturated fats, sodium and processed sugar.

This study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.