Epidemiology and Cardiovascular Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise

While humans evolved to perform routine endurance activity, recent secular trends in the United States and globally have resulted in a dramatic rise in the amount of time spent inactive in both occupational and leisure-time settings. The high burden of physical inactivity is responsible for a high risk of preventable noncommunicable disease including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature death. In this review, we focus on the beneficial effects of routine physical activity (PA) on the cardiovascular system, the different ways we can achieve and measure PA, and the evidence supporting key public health guidance on optimal PA goals for promoting health. While data indicate modest improvements in leisure-time PA in the United States over the past decade, these developments are not equitably distributed across the population with racial and ethnic minorities, women, and older adults continuing to display lower PA rates. The data reviewed here demonstrate the importance of promoting PA for cardiovascular health and highlight the need to address the enormous burden of physical inactivity, especially in those affected by intersecting disparities influencing both general health and leisure-time PA.