How does lack of physical activity effect the cardiovascular system?

Answer 1

The Cardiovascular System, a key component in most sports, and our everyday life, refers to the process by which the lungs expand and contract to gather oxygen, which is then given to the heart to pump around the body, transported through blood vessels. Physical activity requires that we use energy, or burn calories. This is done by using our lungs, as when we respirate, we aren't simply just "breathing", but releasing energy from food. The more we use our lungs, like any muscle, they will grow and strengthen.

This is why several of the world class athletes in endurance sports have high VO2 Max levels. VO2 Max is a measurement of the maximum amount of oxygen that the lungs can intake, and thus measures the volume of the lungs. So if increased physical activity leads to a bigger, stronger (literally, your heart and lungs to increase in mass and volume with the more exercise you do) cardiovascular system, then limited physical activity will leave you with a cardiovascular system that is not necessarily unhealthy, but inferior in the following characteristics:

• Stamina
• Slightly increased risk of long term serious illnesses (cardiovascular disease).
• Efficiency (the bigger your lungs and heart, the easier it becomes for them to work while resting, hence athletes have lower pulse rates)
• Physical Endurance

However, being a professional athlete is not the one way to improve your cardiovascular system. Research has shown that even just 30 minutes of moderate pace walking can improve health substantially, which is easy for the majority of the population to achieve.

Answer 2

it increases heart strength