Exercise and Activity (cont.)
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.
Next: Can everyone benefit from physical activity? »
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