An hour of exercise a day almost halves risk of heart failure

“You do not need to run a marathon to gain the benefits of physical activity – even quite low levels of activity can give you positive effects,” says co-author Dr. Kasper Andersen. “Physical activity lowers many heart disease risk factors, which in turn lowers the risk of developing heart failure as well as other heart diseases.”

Below is a list of examples of moderate exercise, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The following activities count as moderate exercise so long as they noticeably accelerate the heart rate and involve a moderate amount of effort:

• Active involvement in games and sports with children
• Brisk walking
• Dancing
• Gardening
• Housework and domestic chores
• Walking a dog.