NIH Radio
NHLBI Offers New Guide to Physical Activity for a Healthy Heart
Brief Description:
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has developed a new publication designed to help people jump-start and maintain a physical activity program.
Transcript:
Schmalfeldt: It's a fact that about 60 percent of American adults do not get the recommended levels of physical activity. Yet, research suggests that regular physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy heart. That's why the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has developed a new publication designed to help people jump-start and maintain a physical activity program. It's called "Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart." Karen Donato is the program coordinator for NHLBI's Obesity Education Program as well as the "We Can!" program — which stands for "Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition." She explained the importance of physical activity for a healthy heart.
Donato: Physical activity is key to heart health. Physical inactivity is one of the risk factors for heart disease that we can do something about. So we think that this guide will help people to get motivated, stay with their physical activity routine, and do the kinds of physical activity that they enjoy so that they're sure to do them over their lifetime.
Schmalfeldt: Of course for a person who isn't used to regular physical activity, the first obstacle is the inertia that keeps one firmly glued to the couch. Ms. Donato said that's an obstacle that must and can be overcome.
Donato: Well, inertia is a tough one because we live in a world where we have limited time, we're often fatigued. But we think if one begins a physical activity program by just taking ten minutes out of your day to do some type of physical activity, be it walking around the building, just going for a walk around the neighborhood, going up and down the stairs, you'll feel the benefits of physical activity.
Schmalfeldt: You can download the guides by logging on to www.nhlbi.nih.gov or you can call the NHLBI Information Center at 301-592-8573 and place your order for this free publication. From the National Institutes of Health, I'm Bill Schmalfeldt in Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 8/25/2006
Reporter: Bill Schmalfeldt
Sound Bite: Karen Donato, S.M., R.D.
Topic: Heart Health
Institute(s): NHLBI
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