Lifestyle — Effect Sizes That Match Drugs
Not all lifestyle advice moves the needle
"Eat healthy, exercise more" is true and useless. What actually moves cardiovascular risk by a measurable amount is a short list of specific levers with published effect sizes. Stack the big ones and your risk reduction matches a statin without a prescription pad.
Zone 2 cardio — 3 hours/week
Three to four hours of moderate (conversational pace) aerobic work per week reduces CVD mortality by ~30% independent of other factors. This is the single biggest-effect lifestyle lever. Your current resting HR of {restingHr} is one of the metrics that tracks it.
Mediterranean diet pattern
PREDIMED randomised 7,447 high-risk people to a Mediterranean diet vs a low-fat control. The Mediterranean arm reduced major cardiovascular events by 30%. The diet isn't magic — it's olive oil as the primary fat, fish regularly, vegetables + legumes every day, minimal processed food.
Sleep — the silent risk factor
Chronic sleep under 6 hours/night raises CVD mortality by ~20%. Untreated sleep apnoea at least doubles event risk. These aren't marginal numbers. Sleep is arguably a cardiovascular drug. Screen for apnoea if you snore, have hypertension, or feel unrefreshed.
Stack them
Drag each lifestyle lever from highest to lowest effect size on CVD risk.
This step is interactive — open the Thier app to try it.
Key Takeaway
Zone 2 cardio, Mediterranean eating, and consistent sleep aren't soft advice — they each independently move CVD mortality by 20–30%. Stack all three and you're rivalling moderate-intensity statin therapy without the prescription.