I read the second cholesterol article and was surprised by the limited information about exercise. If I read it correctly, it seems like it is mainly helpful in regards to body composition but not directly helpful to cholesterol? I assume (hope) that exercise reduces risk of ASCVD in ways that aren’t on a lipid panel, but do we know if it directly reduces LDL outside of changes in body comp? Thanks as always!
Correct, the effect of exercise directly on blood lipids themselves is less potent compared with its much greater effects on other health measures.
Of course, we still strongly recommend it for a wide variety of reasons (including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease/events, as you mention), but specifically looking at the “most potent” interventions that directly impact blood lipids, diet and the other factors mentioned seem to play a bigger role.