Physical Activity

Physical activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in an increased metabolic rate over resting energy expenditure. Current guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA a day. However, global estimates show that more than one-fourth of adults and three-quarters of adolescents in the population do not meet these recommendations. Physical inactivity can lead to several chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, all within the cardiometabolic-based chronic disease (CMBCD) model. Conversely, efforts to increase exercise can substantially decrease risks for CMBCD through defined multi-organ physiological and molecular mechanisms, interpreted according to metabolic drivers of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the CMBCD model exposes opportunities for early intervention with PA. At a macroscopic level, PA can increase both healthspan and lifespan and must therefore be considered a necessary component of preventive cardiology and lifestyle medicine.