Battling moderate hypertension? Exercise should be the first line of defence

Bolstering the importance of physical activity for better health, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have advised exercise as the 'first prescription' for people with moderately high blood pressure and cholesterol.

The directive to 'sit less, move more' is based on new research. The study published in the journal Hypertension found that physically active people have a 21% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 36% lower risk of dying from it compared to physically inactive people.

Apart from more physical activity, other lifestyle changes highlighted in the blood pressure and cholesterol guidelines include weight loss, diet improvement, stopping smoking and moderating alcohol intake.

While every little bit of activity is better than none, participants in the study were advised either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly along with two or more strength training sessions each week.

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