“Regular physical activity reduces risk and provides therapeutic benefits for people with heart attack, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure and may reduce their risk for stroke. 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.”

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity and Good Nutrition:
Essential Elements to Prevent Chronic Diseases and Obesity: At A Glance 2008)

Strength training is critical for the elderly

“As people age, their bodies become weaker and their minds become less sharp. A primary cause of concern for the elderly is falling, which is caused by cognitive decline, loss of balance and loss of strength. New research published in the Journal of the Geriatrics Society shows that strength training programs designed for the elderly can help all of these areas: strength, cognition and balance.

In the study, researchers selected 74 adults over the age of 70 who had a history of falling and injuries. Half of these subjects completed a falls-prevention exercise program and were compared to the other half, who engaged in no physical activity. Researchers found an improvement in higher-order thinking skills, a 13% increase in task function and decreased risk of falling among participants who completed the exercise program, as compared to inactive participants.”

Source:
Liu-Ambrose T, et al. (2008). Otago home-based strength and balance retraining improves executive functioning in older fallers: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(10), 1821-1830.

Even minimal exercise is important

A new study just published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise just reiterated what we already know: that people who exercise stay alive longer thank those who do not. However, this study emphasizes the importance of incorporating even a small amount of exercise into your day: it could be a matter of life and death.

A group of researchers studied a group of 4,384 people aged in their 50s and 60s and divided them into three groups according to physical fitness. After following subjects for an average of 8-9 years each, researchers analyzed death rates. They found that the least fit group was twice as likely to die than the middle group, which was the largest difference between groups. Not surprisingly, the most fit group had the lowest mortality rate. This study shows the importance of being physically active, even it’s only minimal.

day: it could be a matter of life and death.

Source: Mandic S, et al. (2009). Characterizing the differences in mortality at the low end of the fitness spectrum. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(8), 1573-1579.

New study stresses the importance of healthy lifestyles

For decades, experts have been giving the same message: eat right, exercise, and don’t smoke. Now, however, new evidence has arisen that reinforces this notion and adds even more credibility. A recent study concluded with an astounding statistic: that living a healthy lifestyle by following those three guidelines decreases risk of mortality by 80%.

A group of German researchers studied a group of 23,153 adults for over 8 years and assessed their risk of developing diabetes, heart attack, stroke, or cancer. Throughout the study, researchers measured dietary habits, physical activity and smoking. Researchers report that people with all three healthy lifestyle factors at the start of the study had a 93 percent lower risk of developing diabetes, an 81 percent lower risk of a heart attack, half the risk of stroke, and a 36 percent lower risk of cancer as compared to subjects without any healthy factors.

Source: Ford ES, et al. (2009). Findings from the European Prospective Investigation and Nutrition Potsdam study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(15), 1355-1362.