Not being physically active as a child can massively increase the risk of heart attack and stroke: study

All work and no play doesn’t just make Jack a dull boy, it also gives him potentially debilitating heart conditions, it turns out.

A new study has shed light on a concerning trend: increased sedentary time from childhood not only causes, but also exacerbates excessive heart enlargement — a condition linked to a heightened risk of premature heart damage.

Following 1,682 participants from age 11 to 24, researchers observed that kids were spending a staggering amount of time being sedentary as they grew up. This averaged around six hours per day in childhood, climbing up to nine hours per day after reaching young adulthood. This surge in time being less active contributed significantly to a 40% increase in heart mass from ages 17 to 24, regardless of their weight or blood pressure status.

These findings are undoubtedly troubling. A 2022 survey by OnePoll found that, compared to our grandparents, only about a third of the children today regularly play outside their homes. Multiple other studies concur that children’s play times have been declining for decades, a trend that could have serious impacts on their mental and physical health growing up.

Further, earlier studies have already linked a lack of physical activity to high insulin, obesity, increased inflammation, arterial stiffness and elevated blood cholesterol levels. A severely enlarged heart is also a major risk factor for heart attacks, stroke, and premature death in adults.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot to mitigate these problems. The new research discovered that even engaging in just 3-4 hours of light activities — such as walking, cycling, or playing — can slash the risk of premature heart damage by nearly half, while also enhancing cardiac function. Meanwhile, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed minor increases in heart size.

“There should be a political will at local, national, and global levels to promote light physical activity. We need to act now because the economic and health cost of sedentariness may become unbearable,” notes study author Andrew Agbaje. “The World Health Organization’s physical activity guideline will be updated in the future to include light physical activity, but public health experts, health policymakers, health journalists, paediatricians, and parents should encourage kids to participate in daily light physical activity straight away.”

The findings of this research can be accessed here.