Experts have discovered that a straightforward adjustment to daily routines could potentially reverse the risk of high cholesterol, which dramatically raises the chances of suffering a heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle from childhood can result in a two-thirds rise in cholesterol levels during adulthood, increasing the risk of cardiac problems and early death.
Light Exercise as an Antidote
Yet new research indicates that light exercise could entirely offset these dangers. The study reveals that activities including walking and completing household tasks might remove the necessity for cholesterol-reducing medications like statins. High cholesterol in childhood has been associated with early warning signs of heart disease in adults and a greater probability of premature death from cardiovascular complications. Remarkably, the study suggests that light physical activity may prove more advantageous than more vigorous exercise.
The researchers behind the work believe that international guidelines for children's physical activity ought to reflect their discoveries. Dr Andrew Agbaje from the University of Exeter, who led the study, said: "These findings emphasise the incredible health importance of light physical activity and shows it could be the key to preventing elevated cholesterol and dyslipidaemia from early life."
"We have evidence that light physical activity is considerably more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in this regard, and therefore it's perhaps time the World Health Organisation (WHO) updated their guidelines on childhood exercise, and public health experts, paediatricians, and health policymakers encouraged more participation in light physical activity from childhood."
He continued: "Our research suggests light physical activity may be an unsung hero and it is about time the world replaced the mantra of 'an average of 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity' with 'at least 3 hours a day of light physical activity'."
"Light physical activity appears to be the antidote to the catastrophic effect of sedentary time in the young population."
Study Details and Findings
The WHO presently recommends that children and teenagers should accumulate an average 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily and cut down on sedentary time. It has limited guidance for light physical activity. Yet the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, discovered that light physical activity – which also encompasses slow dancing, swimming, or cycling – is up to five times more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at promoting healthy hearts and reducing inflammation in the young population.
The research, which examined 792 children, used a device similar to a pedometer to track sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at ages 11, 15, and 24 years. Cholesterol levels were measured repeatedly at ages 15, 17, and 24 years, and the children also underwent regular assessments of total body fat mass and muscle mass, along with various blood tests, with factors such as smoking status, socio-economic background, and family history of cardiovascular disease taken into consideration.
Sedentary time rose from roughly six hours a day to nine hours a day over the 13-year follow-up period. Light physical activity dropped from six hours a day to three hours a day, while moderate-to-vigorous physical activity remained fairly consistent at around 50 minutes a day from childhood through to young adulthood. The average rise in total cholesterol was 0.69 millimoles per litre (mmol/l).
The study discovered that an average of four-and-a-half hours a day of light physical activity from childhood through to young adulthood lowered total cholesterol. Approximately 50 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity from childhood was also linked to a slight reduction in total cholesterol (-0.05 mmol/L), however total body fat mass diminished the impact of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on total cholesterol by up to 48%. The researchers emphasised that the increase in body fat negated the modest effect of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on overall cholesterol levels.
Dr Agbaje commented: "Our study shows increased sedentary time in childhood may contribute to two thirds of the total increase in a person's cholesterol levels before their mid-twenties. This suggests childhood sedentariness may be a major risk factor for elevated cholesterol and subsequent premature heart attack or stroke when individuals reach their mid-forties."
The 2023 study, a joint effort between the University of Exeter, University of Eastern Finland, and University of Bristol, drew on data from the University of Bristol's Children of the 90s study, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
NHS Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol
Eat less fatty food
To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat. You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat. Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.
Try to eat more:
- oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
- olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils
- brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta
- nuts and seeds
- fruits and vegetables
Try to eat less:
- meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
- butter, lard and ghee
- cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
- cakes and biscuits
- food that contains coconut oil or palm oil
Exercise more
Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week. Some good things to try when starting out include walking, swimming, or cycling. Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.
