A diagnosis is often a cue for people to change the way they live. For people diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, it is often a motivator to get more physical exercise, which can improve long-term health. However, the rate of physical activity increase after diagnosis varies widely depending on the individual.
A new study from The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) at McGill University sheds light on why. To understand what drives changes in physical activity after such a diagnosis, scientists performed machine learning analyses on data from 295 adults over 60 years included in the UK Biobank who had been diagnosed with diseases of the heart and blood vessels. These data included brain scans and answers to health surveys and social background questionnaires.
The researchers found that people who increased their physical activity levels long-term after diagnosis tended to have greater access to greenspace and social support than those who got less exercise, factors that make it easier to sustain healthy habits.