Prevention & lipids

Resistance Training, Aerobic Activity, Television Viewing, and Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events in U.S. Women

J Am Coll CardiolPublished Prospective cohort study

Authors' conclusion

In this large prospective study of U.S. women, consistent resistance training, especially when integrated with recommended levels of aerobic activity and reduced sedentary television viewing, was associated with a substantially lower risk of major CVD, particularly MI.

Study context

Population
Women in the Nurses' Health Study (2002–2020) and Nurses' Health Study II (2003–2017)5,459 major cardiovascular disease (CVD) events
Participants
117,025 women
Exposure
Resistance training ≥2 h/wk vs no resistance training
Outcome
Incident major CVD (nonfatal or fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, CABG or PCI)
Follow-up
Mean 14.5 years
Methodological detailstime-varying cumulative averages
  • Time-varying cumulative averages

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Major CVD · mean 14.5 years
Hazard ratio (95% CI)P value
≥2 h/wkvs No resistance training
0.80(0.69–0.92)
P = 0.007for trend
Per additional 1 h/wk
0.95(0.92–0.99)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

OutcomeHR (95% CI)
MI (≥2 h/wk vs none)0.56 (0.41–0.76)
Stroke (≥2 h/wk vs none)0.99 (0.80–1.23)

Major CVD by joint recommendations (aerobic ≥15 MET-h/wk, resistance training ≥1 h/wk, TV <2 h/d)

Met aerobic, resistance training and low sedentary TV viewing recommendations: HR
0.60 (95% CI 0.53-0.69)
Met aerobic and low sedentary TV viewing recommendations but not resistance training: HR
0.73 (95% CI 0.67-0.80)

Consistency (≥75% of follow-up) and upper + lower limb training

Associated with stronger inverse associations

Original publication

Resistance Training, Aerobic Activity, Television Viewing, and Risk of Major Cardiovascular Events in U.S. Women. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 25 May 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2026.04.036

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