According to research from the American Heart Association, published in the journal ‘Circulation’, among obese older adults, combining aerobic exercise with a moderate reduction in daily calories results in greater improvements in aortic stiffness (a measure of vascular health, which impacts cardiovascular disease), compared to exercise only or exercise plus a more restrictive diet. This is the first study to assess the effects of aerobic exercise training with and without reducing calories on aortic stiffness. The findings indicate that lifestyle changes designed to increase aerobic activity and moderately decrease daily calorie intake, by approximately 250 calories per day, may improve overall vascular health in older adults with obesity.
