Original Broadcast Date: April 12,1999

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, 1999; 159:686-690.

I’ve always been an advocate of engaging in leisure time activities for health benefits. In other words, taking part in an activity that's fun instead of just doing heavy duty exercises.

Now there’s a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine that says moderate exercise, such as walking or gardening, is as good for your heart as high-intensity workouts.

Researchers assessed the exercise habits of 333 patients who participated in various activities during the year before primary cardiac arrest and compared these to a control group of 503 people.

Participants who walked for exercise more than an hour a week had a relative cardiac arrest risk of .27 compared to those who did no leisure time activities. For those who gardened, the relative risk was .34 compared to the no-exercise group.

Those who engaged in high-intensity physical activities also had a .34 relative risk for primary cardiac arrest.

Researchers say their findings support recent recommendations by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention that people should strive for a daily regimen of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activities.

I’m in favor of a daily routine of moderate exercise because we get health benefits from being active. Too much exercise, however, or too strenuous a workout, can be harmful, particularly if you’re not in great shape.