Stay Healthy...Be Active

Stay Healthy...Be Active
by Associate Nancy Van Anne

An interest in physical activity, and the role that physical exercise plays in the health and well being of the individual is arguably at an all time high in our culture today.

The evidence accumulated over the past 56 years from the scientific study of the effects of exercise on the body shows that significant, positive effects in overall health can result from a regular program of physical activity.

The benefits are most apparent when exercise is vigorous, sustained and regular. However, even minimal amounts produce desirable effects in the body.

Today, research and writing in this area continues at a rapid pace. The evidence is more convincing than ever that regular physical activity is beneficial to one’s overall health.

Furthermore, it is becoming quite clear that 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. This alone would seem sufficient to motivate the least interested person into action!

What are the specific benefits of a regular program of physical activity?

The data is unequivocal in demonstrating that regular activity brings about changes in a number of the body systems. These changes are consistent with a number of healthy benefits and include: reduced risks of coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, diabetes mellitus, obesity and a reduced risk of premature mortality.

Regular participation in physical activity also appears to reduce depression and anxiety, improve mood, and enhance the ability to perform daily tasks throughout the life span.

Are there risks associated with physical activity? Perhaps. Most common are musculoskeletal injuries that occur because of excessive amounts of activity, and injuries incurred when starting an activity for which the body is not conditioned.

Associated health problems which are much more serious such as heart attack and sudden death, are much less common and even rare, and tend to occur among sedentary people with advanced vascular disease and who engage in strenuous activity to which they are unaccustomed.

Where to start? How long and how often should the activity be engaged in? What kind of activity is recommended? Guidelines that are generally considered minimal and effective for the healthy individual include the following:

At least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity, most days, or at least three times per week.

Recent studies have shown that cardio respiratory fitness gains are similar when physical activity occurs in several short sessions (e.g., 10 minutes) as when the same total amount and intensity of activity occurs in one longer session (e.g., 30 minutes).

Activities that involve large muscle groups such as walking, hiking, aerobic exercise, stair climbing, jogging, running, bicycling, rowing and swimming.

Walking continues to be a favored activity because equipment, space, facility and time constraints are essentially non-existent.

The initial stage of a physical activity program should reflect activities of moderate intensity such as walking for pleasure, gardening, housework, dancing, or recreational activities such as tennis and racquetball.
Start slowly. As the overall body condition increases further gains can be achieved by increasing the intensity, frequency and duration of the activity.

In summary, regular physical activity brings about body changes that are beneficial to the overall health and well being of people of all ages and at all levels of the population.

The challenge in today’s culture is to increase physical activity daily in the face of a highly technical society that makes it increasingly convenient to remain sedentary, and a society that discourages physical activity in both subtle and obvious ways.

Resources:

Physical Activity and Older Americans: Benefits and Strategies. June 2002. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Centers for Disease Control. www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increasing physical activity: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2001; 50 (No.RR-18): 1-14. URL: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5018a1.htm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010, 2nd edition., with “Understanding and improving health” and “Objectives for improving health,” 2 vols. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office; November 2000.
Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996.

About the author: Associate Nancy Van Anne, Ph.D. is Co-Coordinator of BVM Associates. She is Professor Emeritus, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. Nancy taught Human Anatomy and Physiology to undergraduate and graduate students preparing for careers in Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, Sports Medicine and Exercise Science.