In adults with overweight or obesity, losing body fat is the main reason why their overall cardiovascular risk improves after doing aerobic or combined exercise.

Adults with overweight or obesity who engage in supervised aerobic exercise three times a week for one year show a measurable improvement in a combined measure of cardiovascular risk factors, including lower body fat, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and fasting glucose, compared to those who do not exercise.

Engaging in consistent cardio workouts, such as running or cycling, for four weeks is associated with a decrease in the proportion of body weight that is fat.

If adults eat less saturated fat, they’re probably 21% less likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or other heart-related problems — but it doesn’t seem to change how long they live.

Eating a little less fat might lower your risk of heart disease by about 7%, but eating a little less carbs might raise your risk by 5%, no matter what kind of food you're eating.