Not exercising costs patients $2,500 annually in medical costs related to heart disease, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Accruing these savings doesn't even require extremely strenuous exercise — just 30 minutes of walking, five times a week. Khurram Nasir, MD, who oversaw the study, told The New York Times the $2,500 patients can save annually is just for healthcare expenses related to cardiovascular disease, so the actual savings of physical activity may be much higher.
To determine how much individuals can save by walking at least 30 minutes five times per week, researchers used 2012 data from the annual Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Focusing on expenses related to heart disease, they divided people into two groups based on whether they met the minimum exercise level and controlled for insurance coverage, according to The New York Times.
They found cost savings were still present even for exercisers who had cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to the report.
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