Health Benefits of Physical Activity

Physical Activity and Health What physical activity can do for health Reduces risks of many chronic diseases Promotes weight control Slows premature aging Improves quality of life physical activity provides a number of other benefits for overall wellness (e.g. stress management, enjoyment, social interactions etc…)

Physical Activity Physical activity and good physical fitness can reduce risk of illness and contribute to optimal health and wellness BUT… Physical activity is not a panacea for all medical conditions but it is probably the best single thing a person can do for their health

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity Improved cardiorespiratory fitness Increased ability of the circulatory system to provide oxygen Reduced risk of Heart Disease Prevention of Hypertension Reduced cancer risk Breast and Colon Cancer Improved bone mass Osteoporosis

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity Improved weight control Exercise with moderate decrease in food intake can help a person lose weight Improved health and increased lifespan Prevention of Diabetes Longer Life Span Improved Immunity to Disease Improved mental health and stress management Reduced stress levels by accelerating body’s return to balanced state

Some Health Benefits of Regular Exercise Figure 11.1

Hypokinetic Hypo-= little or none -Kinetic= exercise/movement Hypokinetic= inactivity, little exercise Almost all chronic diseases that plague society are considered to be hypokinetic. Some relate more to inactivity than others.

Hypokinetic Conditions Cardiovascular disease Cancer Back problems Obesity Diabetes Osteoporosis Mental health There are numerous diseases that are related to physical inactivity. These are referred to as hypokinetic diseases. A public advocacy group has recently coined the term sedentary death syndrome (SeDS) to describe inactive living and associated hypokinetic disease risk factors. They indicate that SeDS is responsible for the epidemic of chronic disease in our society and resulting increases in health costs. It is expected that, in the next few years, expenditures for health care will account for one-fifth of all spending in the United States. 6

Physical Activity and the Healthy Heart Produces a strong heart muscle Promotes good collateral circulation The heart is a muscle and like any other muscle gets stronger with regular use. A strong heart muscle can pump more blood per beat (co/q) which allows the heart to work more easily. A strong heart also has good collateral circulation which improves the delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle. 8

Physical Activity (PA) and Heart Strong heart can meet the demands of PA more easily. Heart: muscle…must be exercised regularly to get stronger! Exercise can lead to a lower heart rate, greater stroke volume and cardiac output Heart rate is considered a good indicator of physical fitness when looking at response to exercise/low heart rates

PA and Heart Attack Regular PA reduces the risk for heart attack (most prevalent of Cardiovascular Disease: CVD) Less chance of a clot forming, greater diameter of arteries, less atheroschlerosis Regular exercise can improve coronary circulation (growth of “extra” blood vessels)

Physical Activity & Other Cardiovascular Diseases Reduced risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) Reduced the risk of stroke Prevention of peripheral vascular disease Reduction in CVD deaths

Hypertension High Blood pressure- silent killer Systolic: 120 mmHg or less (top #) Diastolic: 80 mmHg or less (bottom #) Prehypertension: warning stage for Hypertension If you are inactive: 30 %- 50% chance of becoming prehypertensive

Activity Reduces the Risk of Some Cancers Reduced transit time Decreased risk of colon-rectal cancer Reduced levels of hormones Decreased risk of breast cancer and some reproductive cancers Improved immune system Reduced levels of body fat Activity has been shown to reduce the risk of colon-rectal cancer by reducing the transit time required to move foods through the intestine. Runner’s poop?! Activity has also been shown to have some protective effect on breast cancer and some of the reproductive cancers - most likely by reducing the levels of circulating hormones. Other possible mechanisms are an improved immune system and lower levels of body fatness. 12

Back Problems 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their life Back problems are a major cause of inactivity in adults Back problems are a major problem in our society. 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their life. Back pain is also one of the most common reasons for inactivity among adults. What do you think causes back pain? I can’t perform certain movements due to back pain. In my case, would you consider my back problems due to inactivity? 13

Activity Reduces Risk of Back Pain Improves flexibility of joints and ligaments Improves musculoskeletal strength and endurance Physical activity reduces risk of back pain by improving flexibility and improving musculo-skeletal strength and endurance. Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Basketball… 14

Obesity Over half of the population in the United States is considered to be overweight Obesity increases the risk of many other diseases Obesity is a major health problem in our country. It has been estimated that nearly half of the population is overweight and this greatly contributes to the high levels of chronic diseases in the population. 15

Activity Promotes Weight Control Burns calories Increases rate of metabolism Promotes fat loss and preserves muscle Physical activity is considered to be essential for long term weight control. It burns calories, increases the metabolic rate and promotes fat loss while maintaining lean body mass. These factors help a person avoid the problems of “creeping obesity” that plague most individuals as they get older. 16

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Type I (juvenile onset) Pancreas fails to produce insulin Type 2 (adult onset) Lack of sensitivity to insulin Often caused by obesity Diabetes is another chronic condition that plagues many members of our society. Some diabetes (Type 1) originates during childhood when the pancreas fails to produce insulin. The other type of diabetes (Type 2) develops during adulthood and is caused by a lack of sensitivity to insulin which is secondary to obesity. 17

Activity Reduces Risks of Diabetes Type 1 Reduces disease risk Increases quality of life Type 2 Decreased insulin requirement Reduced fatness Activity reduces the disease risks associated with Type 1 diabetes and also reduces a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes 18

Osteoporosis Progressive loss of bone mineral density Occurs commonly in old age Occurs at an earlier age and more frequently in women than men Factors associated with osteoporosis Loss of sex hormones Low calcium levels Physical inactivity High protein intake Smoking Caffeine Osteoporosis is a chronic condition that is characterized by a progressive loss of body mineral density. It occurs commonly in old age and is more common in women than men. 19

Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Osteoporosis Increases peak bone mass Slows decline in bone mass Physical activity reduces the risk of osteoporosis by increasing the peak bone mass early in life and slowing the normal decline in bone mass with age. Activity must be weight bearing to have some protective effect. Walking, jogging, weight lifting, aerobics are all considered to be good forms of activity to reduce risks of osteoporosis. 21

Physical Activity Improves Emotional Health Reduced depression Reduced anxiety Improved sleep (greater ability to relax) Increased self-esteem Activity has also been shown to improve mental health. It reduces depression, anxiety and improves self-esteem. 22

Physical Activity and Immune Function Physical activity can help the immune system fight illness. Until recently, infectious disease and other diseases of the immune system were not considered to be hypokinetic. Recent evidence indicates that regular moderate to vigorous activity can actually aid the immune system in fighting disease. Each of us is born with “an innate immune system,” which includes anatomical and physiological barriers, such as skin, mucous membranes, body temperature, and chemical mediators that help prevent and resist disease. We also develop an “acquired immune system” in the form of special disease-fighting cells that help us resist disease. Figure 8 shows a J-shaped curve that illustrates the benefits of exercise to acquired immune function. Sedentary people have more risk than those who do moderate activity, but with very high and sustained vigorous activity, such as extended high performance training, immune system function actually decreases.

PA & Alzheimer's Disease Factors relating to heart health also contribute to brain health. Studies indicate that PA and challenging mental activities are especially important among the lifestyle factors involved in maintaining brain health and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Recent evidence has shown that physical activity has an impact on alzheimer’s disease. The mental health benefits of physical activity have been known for some time but this shows powerful evidence that it protects against a condition generally thought to be due to other factors.

Physical Activity & Aging Slows aging Acquired aging (related to lifestyle) Compression of morbidity Time-dependent aging cannot be altered Activity slows down the normal aging process. It does this by slowing down the rate of acquired aging (aging due to poor lifestyles). There is a natural time dependent aging process that cannot be altered. Regular physical activity can compress illness into a shorter period of our life. An important national health goal is to increase the years of healthy life. Living longer is important, but being able to function effectively during all years of life is equally—if not more—important. Compression refers to shortening the total number of years that illnesses and disabilities occur. Compressing illness, also called compression of morbidity, means dramatically decreasing the years of illness. Healthy lifestyles, including regular physical activity, have been shown to compress illness and increase years of effective functioning. 23

Activity Aging Cycle Decrease Physical Activity Gain Weight Physical Lose Energy Deterioration This figure depicts the exercise-aging cycle It shows how a lack of physical activity tends to speed up the aging process The model can also relate to how people feel about exercise on a short term basis. The more out of shape someone is the less desirable exercise is and the more out of shape they become. Many people have good intentions and start exercising only to quit after a few weeks. Now, we will focus on why many people quit exercise programs and discuss how you can set up a program that will be with you for life. Berger, and Hecht (1989). Exercise, Aging, and Psychological Well-Being: The mind-body question. In: A.C. Ostrow (Ed.) Aging and Motor Behavior. Indianapolis, Benchmark Press, pp. 117-152. The supplemental slide on fitness trends shows hypothetical patterns of fitness across the lifespan. It can be used to demonstrate that older people that maintain activity patterns can have a higher fitness than younger people that do not. Perceive Self As Old 5

Physical Activity & Wellness Good physical fitness: helps you enjoy leisure helps you work more effectively and efficiently keeps body functioning effectively is the basis for dynamic and creative activity can help you function safely and meet emergencies

Summary Regular physical activity and good fitness can promote good health, help prevent disease, and be a part of disease treatment. Too many adults suffer from hypokinetic diseases. Many factors that are under your control (lifestyles).