Heart health
Exercise can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Every year in the UK, over 40,000 people die from stroke and nearly 90,000 from coronary heart disease. Inactive people have double the risk of dying from heart disease compared with people who are active. So if you don't do any exercise at all, even doing a little – for example walking each day – can help reduce your risk of these conditions.
Taking exercise can help to reduce high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is common – one in three adults in the UK has it. If you have high blood pressure, you’re more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. Exercise can also help to prevent high blood pressure from developing in the first place.
You can help to improve the balance of your cholesterol by exercising. There are two types of cholesterol – low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is sometimes called ‘bad’ cholesterol; HDL cholesterol is sometimes called ‘good’ cholesterol. High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL increase your risk of heart disease. Studies show that regular exercise, such as brisk walking or running, is linked to higher levels of HDL cholesterol.