As little as a half hour’s vigorous exercise or an hour of moderate exercise each day could be enough to reduce your risk of heart failure by as much as 46 per cent, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation: Heart Failure journal.

Heart failure is a growing problem in a developed world besieged by a growing obesity crisis, with the condition being influenced by high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It is reported that around half of people with heart failure die within five years of diagnosis.

As part of this latest piece of research, Swedish scientists studied 39,805 people who had completed a lifestyle and medical history questionnaire in 1997.

At the beginning of the study, none of the participants – who were aged between 20-90 years old – had heart failure.

As part of the questionnaire, the study group filled out sections monitoring work and leisure time, lifestyle habits and alcohol intake, with work and leisure measurements split into either light, moderate or heavy sections.

The researchers used medical records to match up any diagnosis, hospital admissions or deaths during the follow-up period of the study, which saw the scientists observe the group until 2010.

They found that participants who had took more than one hour of moderate exercise or 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per day had lowered their risk of heart failure 46 per cent.

"There are often no healthy alternative forms of transportation; in many buildings it is hard to find the stairs; and at home, television and computers encourage sedentary behavior,” said co-author Dr Kasper Andersen.

“Making it easier and safer to walk, bicycle or take the stairs could make a big difference. Our research suggests that everyone could benefit from getting out there and moving every day."

Research highlighting the positive impact of exercise on the heart and our health is growing in weight, with one study suggesting that exercise not food is the key to solving the western world’s obesity crisis.

Another finding has also highlighted the beneficial impact of exercise when coupled with wine intake to help tackle the development of cardiovascular disease.