Physical Activity Over the Lifecourse and Cardiovascular Disease

2023/06/08 by Andrew Perry, Andrew S. Perry, Erin E. Dooley +4 · 171 citations
Medicine · #Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors #Cardiovascular and exercise physiology #Cause of death #Disease #Environmental health #Gerontology #Intensive care medicine #Internal medicine #Medicine #Physical Activity and Health #Physical activity #Physical therapy #Population

paper · doi:10.1161/circresaha.123.322121

published in Circulation Research 132(12), 1725-1740 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)

openalex publication_date 2023/06/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Despite improvements in cardiovascular care in recent decades, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death worldwide. At its core, CVD is a largely preventable disease with diligent risk factor management and early detection. As highlighted in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 , physical activity plays a central role in CVD prevention at an individual and population level. Despite pervasive knowledge of the numerous cardiovascular and noncardiovascular health benefits of physical activity, physical activity has steadily decreased over time and unfavorable changes in physical activity occur throughout people’s lives. Here, we use a lifecourse framework to examine the evidence reporting on the association of physical activity with CVD. From in utero to older adults, we review and discuss the evidence detailing how physical activity may prevent incident CVD and mitigate CVD-related morbidity and death across all life stages.

Citations

• The Association Between Physical Activity and Subclinical Atherosclerosis: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

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