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Exercise equipment can help prevent a heart attack
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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According to scientists, with various diseases of the heart and blood vessels, exercises on exercise machines that help "pump up" muscles will help reduce the risk of death. At the Medical Research Center of the School of Medicine in California, a team of specialists used a new method that helped to assess tissue density more accurately. Previously, the body's resistance to electric current was measured, now scientists used dual X-ray absorptiometry. Researchers from the School of Medicine also analyzed data from studies from 1999-2004, which noted changes in the health and nutrition of more than 6 thousand people with cardiovascular diseases.
Scientists divided all participants into several groups depending on body structure (thin, overweight, muscular, etc.), in total, scientists identified 4 types based on muscle/fat ratio and as a result, it was found that people with a high level of muscle mass and a small amount of fat were less likely to die from cardiovascular diseases.
It is generally accepted that the risk of death from neurological, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes increases with excess BMI, i.e. obesity, but over the past decades, scientists have discovered that in fact, in critical situations, overweight people have a better chance of surviving. This phenomenon is commonly called the "obesity paradox", i.e. with a high BMI, the risk of death is significantly reduced, contrary to popular belief.
A study by Californian specialists confirms that it is more important for health to maintain muscle mass (exercise, go to gyms, etc.), and not at all to lose extra pounds with the help of various diets.
At the Harvard Research Center, scientists also studied factors that influence life expectancy and found that rural areas help to extend life by 12%. According to experts, people in the city have a higher mortality rate from cancer and respiratory diseases, while people living outside the city die from the same diseases much less often. According to scientists, villagers lead a more active lifestyle and are protected from noise pollution, which also affects life expectancy. Nature helps prevent the development of depression and improves mental well-being, primarily due to isolation (compared to city dwellers, villagers have more contact with nature than with people).
It is worth noting that away from the noise of the city, in the countryside, at the dacha, etc., a person recovers not only his physical but also his mental state, but at Harvard they were surprised at how much life in nature affects a person.
According to Peter James, one of the authors of the study, while spending time in nature improves mental health, living in “green” conditions helps to prolong life. Therefore, it is extremely important to pay due attention to greening and creating healthier places for people to live. Plants not only help to capture carbon dioxide, but also mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce the harmful effects of wastewater.
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