Illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are still considered the most common causes of death in Germany. A simple measure reduces the risk.
Almost 350,000 Germans died of cardiovascular disease in 2023. In second place are so-called neoplasms – i.e. mostly malignant tumors. In third place: respiratory diseases. Now researchers at the University of Iowa have investigated how exercise affects people’s organisms. And they came to the conclusion: Even minor changes in movement patterns prevent chronic diseases. Connections with 19 different diseases could be established.
In the study period from 2017 to 2022, 7,000 answers to two questions to patients were analyzed at the university:
Researchers compared the results of patients who took the survey with those of more than 33,000 patients who were not offered the survey. The result: Those who reported the highest level of physical activity – that is, at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per week – had a significantly lower risk of 19 chronic diseases. These included the three “killers”: cardiovascular diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases. The risk of diabetes is also reduced through exercise.
The results indicated that patients with low physical activity are at increased risk of developing chronic disease. Based on this, the researchers recommend asking patients more about their physical activity, while also providing information about health and wellness options for physically inactive patients – especially those who are most at risk.