Physical Activity

 

Maintaining good health is good for people at all stages of life.

Physical activity is essential for maintaining and improving health. The human body is designed for movement, but staying active throughout the day poses an increasing challenge to modern lifestyles. In the United States, although one in two adults has a chronic condition, only half of adults get the recommended daily amount of exercise to reduce and prevent chronic disease. Regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or current level of health, staying physically active has profound benefits for every stage of life, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or current level of health.

Health Benefits of Physical Activity

Exercise has immediate and long-term benefits for the physical and mental health of healthy people, people at risk of chronic diseases, and people with chronic diseases or disabilities. In the short term, regular physical activity can reduce anxiety and blood pressure and improve sleep. It can elevate mood, increase energy, and give people the opportunity to have fun with friends and family.

The long-term benefits of regular exercise are not limited to calorie balance and weight maintenance. Physical activity has a wide range of health effects:

Reduce the risk of premature death

 Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 

diabetes, and stroke

 Improves cholesterol

 Improves aerobic capacity and muscle strength and endurance

 Improves brain health and cognition 

Reduce the risk of falls

Regular exercise has also been shown to have a positive effect on digestion and prevent the normal decline in metabolism that occurs as part of the aging process. Exercise helps preserve lean muscle mass; Replacing inactive fat stores with active lean muscle burns extra calories even when sedentary. Physical activity has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which keeps blood sugar in a healthy range.

Types of Physical Activity

For individuals, the best physical activity is one that can be sustained and enjoyed. It is important to combine different types of physical activity to get the most out of exercise:

Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise: Aerobic exercise can improve cardiorespiratory fitness, increase endurance, reduce body fat, and improve circulation. Walking, jogging, cycling, climbing stairs, dancing, and swimming are all aerobic exercises.

Strength or weight training: Strength or weight training increases muscle mass, boosts metabolism, improves balance, and makes bones stronger. Strength training can be done at home or in the gym.

Stretching: Stretching reduces the burden of exercise, improves flexibility and prevents muscle strains and injuries. Stretching can also help the body warm up before exercise.

Balance: Activities that challenge stability help maintain posture and prevent falls.

Duration

Physical activity guidelines for Americans recommend that adults engage in 150 minutes (two hours and 30 minutes) of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.150 minutes can be spread over the course of a week – say 20-25 minutes a day or 50 minutes a day, 3 times a week. Moderate exercise can be measured simply: a person should be able to talk but not sing. Strength training should be included in the routine, twice a week for 30 minutes each.

Sedentary Behavior

Sedentary behavior characterized by low levels of energy expenditure while sitting, lying down, or lying down is particularly harmful to human health. It increases the risk of all-cause mortality, heart and heart mortality, type 2 diabetes, and colon, endometrial, and lung cancer. Studies have shown that being sedentary for 8 hours or more a day increases the risk of death, which is the same as the risk of smoking and obesity. Exercising for 60-75 minutes a day can mitigate this effect; In fact, any exercise can reduce risk and benefit health.

Preschool-Age Children and Exercise

Official guidelines now include children under 3 years of age and recommend that all children ages 3 to 5 get physical activity throughout the day for optimal growth and development.

Kids and Physical Activity

From age 6 through adolescence, children should get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for maximum health benefits. This daily amount can be divided into smaller chunks, such as 30 minutes between classes and 30 minutes after school. Puberty is a critical period for peak bone mass formation. Muscle- and bone-strengthening activities such as tug-of-war, climbing on playground equipment, tree climbing, skipping rope, and gymnastics, should be part of your exercise routine. For teens, bone strengthening activities can include organized sports, such as tennis, soccer, and basketball, or exercises, such as climbing stairs, skipping rope, hiking and weight  lifting. 

Specific benefits of exercise in children include reduced risk of depression, improved aerobic and muscle health, improved bone health, improved weight status, and improved cardiometabolic health. Physical activity has also been shown to improve concentration and some degree of academic success (through school physical activity programs).

Exercise and Aging

As we age, the body loses strength and flexibility, and existing health conditions can make daily activities difficult. However, exercise can slow down the physiological aging clock. Staying physically active later in life can improve sleep, reduce the risk of falls, improve balance and joint mobility, prolong active life, help slow bone and muscle loss and delay the onset of cognitive decline.

Activity guidelines for adults and seniors are the same, with some additions. Recommendations specific to older adults are to include balance training in their weekly activities, maintain an effort level associated with fitness levels, and understand how any chronic conditions may affect their ability to safely engage in regular physical activity.

Tips for Staying Physically Active

What's the best way to incorporate regular physical activity into your busy lifestyle? Here are some suggestions: 

Choose enjoyable activities.

Find partners to maintain accountability.

Turn inactivity into active time (for example, sit-ups while watching TV).

10-minute walk after lunch.

Jog for 30 minutes instead of 20.

Add weightlifting or resistance exercises.

Change activity (e.g., playing basketball one day; Cycling the next day).

Create a realistic schedule.

REFERENCES

BOLLINGER L、LAFONTAINE T. Exercise and insulin resistance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning.2011；33(5)：40-43。DOI:10.1519/SSC.0B013E31822599E2

 Brown WJ, Parvey T, Bowman AE. To compare the population-attributed risk of heart disease in women in adulthood.BR J Sports Medicine. 2015；49：1027。DOI:10.1136/Beijing Sports-2013-093090 

EKELUND U、STEENE-JOHANNESSEN J、BROWN WJ。Does physical activity reduce or even eliminate the harmful association between sitting and mortality? A coordinated meta-analysis of data from over 1 million men and women. The Lancet. 2016；388：1302-1310。DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30370-1

Physical activity. USDA, CHOOSEMYPLATE.GOV website.HTTPS://WWW.CHOOSEMYPLATE.GOV/RESOURCES/PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY-WHY。Accessed November 19, 2019.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A guide to physical activity for Americans. Second edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2018.HTTPS://HEALTH.GOV/PAGUIDELINES/SECOND-EDITION/PDF/PHYSICAL_ACTIVITY_GUIDELINES_2ND_EDITION.PDF。Accessed November 19, 2019.

Why  it matters. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/PHYSICALACTIVITY/ABOUT-PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY/WHY-IT-MAT​​TERS.HTML。Reviewed February 4, 2019.Accessed November 19, 2019.