Which of the following is a cardiovascular benefit of adopting a healthy lifestyle?

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Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol directly reduces the main factors that drive cardiovascular disease. When blood pressure is lower, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood, which reduces strain on the heart and arteries. Lower LDL cholesterol helps prevent plaque buildup in the arteries, decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Together, these changes reliably improve heart and vessel health, making them a clear cardiovascular benefit of adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Lower resting heart rate can happen with regular aerobic training, signaling improved heart efficiency, but it’s not as direct or universally emphasized as a cardiovascular benefit. Reducing body fat and increasing muscle efficiency are valuable for overall health and fitness, but they don’t affect the heart and blood vessels as directly or predictably as improved blood pressure and cholesterol.