Energize Your Life! Who said physical activity is all work and no play? In fact, it can be just the opposite!
There is no need to think of strenuous workouts that are painful and boring. Instead, imagine doing fun physical activities you enjoy and look forward to. Do physical activity for enjoyment and watch the health benefits follow!
The importance of physical activity
The evidence is growing and is more convincing than ever! People of all ages who are generally inactive can improve their health and well-being by becoming active at a moderate-intensity on a regular basis.
Regular physical activity substantially reduces the risk of dying of coronary heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death, and decreases the risk for stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It also helps to control weight; contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints; reduces falls among older adults; helps to relieve the pain of arthritis; reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression; and is associated with
fewer hospitalizations, physician visits, and medications. Moreover, physical activity need not be strenuous to be beneficial; people of all ages benefit from participating in regular, moderate-intensity physical activity, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking five or more times a week.
Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, more than 50% of American adults do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. 25% of adults are not active at all in their leisure time. Activity decreases with age and is less common among women than men and among those with lower income and less education.
Insufficient physical activity is not limited to adults. More than a third of young people in grades 9-12 do not regularly engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity.
This section explains why you should be active, how inactivity may hurt your health, and how physical activity can benefit everyone.
Why should I be active?
"It's easier to maintain your health than regain it." -Dr. Ken Cooper
Physical activity can bring you many health benefits. People who enjoy participating in moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity physical activity on a regular basis benefit by lowering their risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and colon cancer by 30-50% (USDHHS, 1996). Additionally, active people have lower premature death rates than people who are the least active.
Regular physical activity can improve health and reduce the risk of premature death in the following ways:
Reduces the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) and the risk of dying from CHD
Reduces the risk of stroke
Reduces the risk of having a second heart attack in people who have already had one heart attack
Lowers both total blood cholesterol and triglycerides and increases high-density lipoproteins (HDL or the "good" cholesterol)
Lowers the risk of developing high blood pressure
Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have hypertension
Lowers the risk of developing non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes mellitus
Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer
Helps people achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety
Promotes psychological well-being and reduces feelings of stress
Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints
Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling or becoming excessively fatigued
Can a lack of physical activity hurt your health? Evidence shows that those who are not physically active are definitely not helping their health, and may likely be hurting it. The closer we look at the health risks associated with a lack of physical activity, the more convincing it is that Americans who are not yet regularly physically active should become active.
Can everyone benefit from physical activity?
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"Do it, move it, make it happen. No one ever sat their way to success." -Unknown
The good news about regular physical activity is that everyone can benefit from it (USDHHS, 1996).
- Older adults: No one is too old to enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity. Evidence indicates that muscle-strengthening exercises can reduce the risk of falling and fracturing bones and can improve the ability to live independently.
- Parents and children: Parents can help their children maintain a physically active lifestyle by providing encouragement and opportunities for physical activity. Families can plan outings and events that allow and encourage everyone in the family to be active.
- Teenagers: Regular physical activity improves strength, builds lean muscle, and decreases body fat. Activity can build stronger bones to last a lifetime.
- People trying to manage their weight: Regular physical activity burns calories while preserving lean muscle mass. Regular physical activity is a key component of any weight-loss or weight-management effort.
- People with high blood pressure:Regular physical activity helps lower blood pressure.
- People with physical disabilities, including arthritis: Regular physical activity can help people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength. It also can improve psychological well-being and quality of life by increasing the ability to perform the activities of daily life.
- Everyone under stress, including persons experiencing anxiety or depression:Regular physical activity improves one's mood, helps relieve depression, and increases feelings of well-being.
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