Do you know that just 20 minutes of daily cycling can almost half your risk of dying from a heart related disease? Amar Singal, the Senior Interventional Cardiologist at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi, highlights several studies suggesting the same.
A study conducted by the Purdue University concluded that regular cycling can cut your risk of heart disease by a whopping 50 percent.
Similarly, the Copenhagen Heart Study, which monitored over 5000 people over a period of 14 years, found a major association between high intensity cycling and reduced risk of coronary heart disease death. Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for over 30 percent of the global deaths annually.
In India too, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths today, accounting for more than a quarter of all mortalities. The Global Burden of Disease study has estimated that CVD death rate in India is 272 per one lakh population which is higher than the global average of 235.
Interestingly, as many as 50 percent of heart disease related deaths can be prevented by adopting healthy habits and a hygienic lifestyle. Much like smoking, physical inactivity is also a significant risk factor for heart disease.
A daily cycle ride of just 20 minutes is sufficient to achieve this target. Counting on the benefits of cycling, Singal explained, “Cycling is one of the best cardio exercises for people of all age groups and all body types. It not only helps burn calories and keeps weight under control, but also helps build stamina and increase muscle and bone strength.
Being a low impact exercise, it is also soft on the joints and unlike hard gym training sessions, it doesn’t put you at risk of overuse injuries or sprains. This is why it can also be taken up by elderly people who have arthritic joints.”
