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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting fitter over time cuts your heart risk — and losing fitness raises it. A large UK Biobank study found that even small annual gains in cardiorespiratory fitness were independently linked to lower risks of cardiovascular disease and death, while declining fitness showed a clear dose-dependent rise in risk. Researchers say tracking fitness over time could become a valuable clinical tool.
It's not just how fit you are today — it's which direction you're heading. A new analysis of over 11,500 UK Biobank participants found that changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) over roughly four years were strongly tied to long-term cardiovascular outcomes, independent of baseline fitness, BMI changes, lifestyle factors, and even genetic risk.
The results followed a clear dose-response pattern: the more fitness improved, the lower the risk; the more it declined, the higher the risk. Participants were tracked for a median of 14 years from their first fitness assessment.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: These findings push clinicians to think beyond one-time fitness snapshots. Monitoring CRF trajectories using practical submaximal tests could help identify patients who aren't benefiting from their activity levels — and flag those who need more structured, individualized exercise programs before cardiovascular risk climbs.
