New study finds simple daily habits to protect heart

The researchers in a recent study have revealed simple daily habits, aiming to protect people from cardiovascular diseases, especially caused by sedentary lifestyle.

In today’s modern world, sedentary habits especially among young adults have become prevalent as they spend approximately 6 hours a day seated. As a result, extended sitting for a longer period of time comes at the cost of blood vessels function.

As per previous research, even 1 percent obstruction in vascular function could elevate 13 percent risks of cardiovascular issues.

According to Dr. Catarina Rendeiro, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences and lead author, “Whether we are sitting at desks… or on the sofa reading a book or watching TV, we all spend a lot of time seated. Even though we are not moving our bodies, we are still putting them under stress.”

Given the major health risks of sedentary habits, new findings from the University of Birmingham suggest that flavanols-rich foods, including tea, cocoa, apples, and berries could be a simple key to save your heart from negative impacts of uninterrupted sitting.

Flavanols: Heart’s natural armour

According to the study's findings published in the Journal of Physiology, flavanols naturally occur in various foods and fruits, such as nuts, tea, and coffee.

In an experimental trial, researchers tested if our eating choices characterized by high-flavanol could tackle the extended sitting’s negative impacts on vascular health.

The team used high-flavanol and low-flavanol cocoa drinks to assess its efficacy.

As per findings, low-flavanol cocoa does not reduce the negative impact of sitting as people showed declines in Flow-mediated dilatation or FMD.

On the other hand, high-flavanol cocoa did not show reduction in Flow-mediated dilatation or FMD, thereby confirming its high efficacy against worsening vascular condition.

Dr. Sam Lucas, Professor of Cerebrovascular, Exercise & Environmental Physiology and co-author, said: "Our experiment indicates that higher fitness levels do not prevent the temporary impairment of vascular function induced by sitting when only drinking low-flavanol cocoa.”

This research is the first of its kind showing flavanols can prevent this sitting-induced vascular dysfunction regardless of one' s fitness level.