Just 30 minutes of exercise a day ‘as good as drugs to lower blood pressure’
Just 30 minutes of exercise a day may be as effective as drugs at lowering blood pressure , a study has found.
Walking on a treadmill in the morning reduced participants’ levels for the rest of the day.
Overweight and obese men and women aged 55-80 took part in three plans, with varied amounts of sitting and walking.
The plan that lowered blood pressure the most involved an hour of sitting then 30 minutes of treadmill walking.
It was followed by 6.5 hours of sitting, interrupted every half hour with three minutes of walking.
The 67 participants ate the same meals during the laboratory study.
Blood pressure was lower in the people whose exercised compared to those who did not.
Women in particular saw extra benefits from three-minute walks, but researchers are not sure why.
Lead author Michael Wheeler, of University of Western Australia, Perth, said: “The magnitude of reduction in blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting approached what might be expected from anti-hypertensive medication.”
Chris Allen, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study supports a huge body of evidence that shows regular physical activity can help towards lowering your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes.”
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