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Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Working hard vs. working out
(CNN) -- When it comes to keeping a healthy heart, physical labor is no substitute for a workout, according to new research. CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talked with Anchor Daryn Kagan on Monday about the exercise findings. GUPTA: This is a really interesting story because I've often wondered about people who worked hard at their jobs but don't necessarily work out. A little bit of background first. [Around] one in five Americans exercise with any degree of regularity. One in four don't exercise at all. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Men tend to work out more than women, although both decline with age. The question we're asking today though: Who's likely to live longer? Who's likely to have less risk of heart disease -- people who have physically intensive labor jobs, such as construction, mulching lawns, something like that, or people who jockey a desk most of the day and then go for a bike ride or treadmill at the end of the day? German researchers actually looked at 800 people, of ages 40 to 68 and found that, in fact, of 791 people ages 40 to 68 ... that if you were someone who actually jockeyed a desk most of the day but then got a regular workout in three or four times a week, you were five times less likely to have [significant] heart disease. What they also found is that all workers, whether you had a leisurely job or a physically intensive labor job, it lowers your risk of heart disease if you worked out at all. So this is sort of interesting. Again people who get some sort of exercise regularly are much less likely to have heart disease than people who just have a physically intensive job. KAGAN: And what about the physically intense jobs? Are they good for the workers, or are they bad for them? GUPTA: A lot of that depends on what your goals are. You know, people who have physically intensive jobs are going to get bigger muscles probably. They're going to be healthy in terms of their overall muscle, but in terms of their heart, which is the most important muscle, it's probably going to be not as healthy. You often have what's called work-related physical strain, which often puts intensive bursts of energy on your heart, but less likely to overall be good for your heart in terms of aerobic activity. So [it's] best still to get your heart rate up for 20 to 30 minutes a day. That's still what the guidelines recommend. KAGAN: So no matter what you're doing during the day, there's no replacement for doing the work at the end of the day with the exercise? GUPTA: Right. Just because you got that job, which is putting you outside, or maybe inside, doing physically intensive work, it's still important to get some heart exercise in, 20 to 30 minutes a day they say, raising your heart rate. KAGAN: And does it matter exactly what you're doing -- if you're walking, or if you're running or swimming? GUPTA: There's specific guidelines on that as well. They say 30 minutes a day if you're doing sort of more moderate exercise [such as] walking, maybe light swimming. Vigorous intensity exercise -- 20 minutes, at least three times a week. Daryn, these guidelines change as we know. What this study pointed out again is that any kind of activity is beneficial, the more the better. Some guidelines recommend 60 minutes a day now for adults. KAGAN: But before you get started with anything, consult your doctor. GUPTA: Always. KAGAN: Especially if you're starting from that couch potato status. GUPTA: Absolutely.
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