As his team learns more about the science behind these trends in activity and how they relate to cardiovascular fitness, Calum MacRae, MD, PhD, principal investigator of the Apple Heart and Movement Study, cardiologist, and professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, highlighted, “Much of what we know about activity and cardiovascular fitness is based on small studies with limited metrics and few data on trends over time. The Apple Heart and Movement Study is collecting ongoing detailed information on activity and health from a large number of participants using Apple Watch, which offers researchers an ongoing estimation of Cardio Fitness, an established measurement of cardiovascular fitness. Through this study, we’re able to analyze the interaction between activity and Cardio Fitness and follow trends in ways that were not previously possible. We anticipate that exploring physiology at this scale with such a rich research data set will shed light on wellness and maintaining health.”

For those just getting started with exercise and looking to live a healthier day, Fitness+ offers Workouts for Beginners across workout types like Strength, HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, Dance, and Core. Trainers also demonstrate modifications in each workout so there is always someone to follow no matter a user’s ability, and workouts or meditations can be as short as 5 or 10 minutes, so it’s easy to get started. Walking is one of the healthiest activities in the world that can be done anytime, anywhere, with benefits like stress relief and improved cardiovascular health. On February 14, the latest episode of Time to Walk, an inspiring audio experience on Apple Watch designed to encourage people to get active by walking more often, will feature Georges St-Pierre, a former mixed martial arts champion widely considered one of the greatest in the sport. Fitness+ will also introduce a new episode of Time to Run, an audio running experience designed to help users become more consistent and better runners, inspired by the iconic neighborhoods and running routes of San Francisco.