People with strong chest and back muscles are less likely to have a heart attack, analysis suggests

Researchers think people with more muscle in their torso area, who also live longer, exercise more

Published 30 June 2026 346 words
SCIENCE B1
People with strong chest and back muscles are less likely to have a heart attack, analysis suggests

Having strong muscles in your chest and back could mean you are less likely to have a heart attack or die early, according to a new study. The analysis used artificial intelligence (AI) to look at information from hospital scans.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh looked at scans from 1,722 patients who were mostly in their 50s and had experienced chest pain. They used AI to study the muscle density in these patients.

The study found that people with denser muscles in their chest and back areas were less likely to suffer a heart attack or pass away within 10 years of their scan. Researchers believe these individuals with strong muscles likely exercise more.

The findings, published in the journal Radiology, suggest that having good quality skeletal muscle might help lower the risk of heart problems and early death. One of the lead researchers, Prof Michelle Williams, was so impressed by the results that she has started going to the gym and plans to walk for an hour every day.

The study focused on the muscles visible in specific types of scans, including back muscles, chest muscles (pectorals), and the muscles between the ribs. These muscles are important for posture and movement. The research is still ongoing to fully understand how exercise impacts muscle density and heart health.

AI was used to examine muscle, organs, bones, and fat in the upper body of the patients. It specifically looked at how bright or dark the muscles appeared on the scan images. Denser muscles appear brighter because more X-ray light bounces off them.

The study calculated that for every 10-point increase in scan brightness, indicating better quality muscle with less fat, a person was 31% less likely to have a heart attack. They were also 39% less likely to die within 10 years.

Interestingly, the actual size of a person's muscles did not seem to affect their risk. This suggests that the quality and composition of the muscle, rather than just its size, is what matters for heart health.

Vocabulary

analysis — the detailed examination of something to understand it better
artificial intelligence — computer systems able to do tasks that normally need human intelligence
muscle density — how compact and firm the muscles are
skeletal muscle — the muscles that move the skeleton
pectoral muscles — muscles in the chest area, often called 'pecs'
composition — what something is made of
prioritised — treated as more important than something else
physically active — doing exercise or other activities that require physical movement

Discussion Questions

  1. According to the study, which muscles are most important for reducing heart attack risk?
  2. How does the study suggest that muscle quality is measured?
  3. What does the lead researcher plan to do after seeing the study's results?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

Read the original article