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Introduction: Regular physical exercise has been recommended as the main strategy to reduce cardiovascular risk and increased functional capacity of the population. In this sense, health policies have encouraged the implementation of physical exercise groups in the Family Health Strategy. Objective: To evaluate cardiovascular risk and the functional capacity of exercise group participants in a Family Health Unit (USF). Methods: The study included 39 participants from exercise groups, which occur two to three times a week, lasting an hour each session. The cardiovascular risk was assessed using waist circumference and body mass index as recommended by the World Health Organization. Functional capacity was measured by the ratio between the distance walked during the sixminute walk test and the distance predicted by Equation of Iwama. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and absolute frequency. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee (1,431,336). Results: The study participants had on average 59.2 ± 13.9 years old and were mostly women (82.0%). Regarding the cardiovascular risk, 17.5% had no risk, 12.5% increased risk, 37.5% high risk and 30.0% very high risk. Considering functional capacity, participants had on average 77.0 ± 12.6%. Conclusion: Participants in the exercise group showed good functional capacity, however, the cardiovascular risk was high or very high for most (67.5%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]