Physical inactivity is not the right direction on the road to good health

Better Nutrition, March, 1997 by Patricia Andersen-Parrdo

Today we are faced with a complicated contradiction.

On the one hand, health clubs and gyms equipped with state-of-the-art equipment are popping up at a rapid pace; on the other hand, studies show that the majority of adults are alarmingly inactive.

Whatever the reason for this dichotomy may be, the evidence is in and the answer is loud and clear: exercise promotes good health.

Exercise as a disease preventer

A recent article entitled, "Physical Activity and Health," which appeared in the British Medical Journal, reports that in the United States, Great Britain, and most other developed countries, fewer than half of all adults are regularly active. This lack of activity has serious health consequences. The authors say, "Studies suggest causal associations between regular physical activity and reduced rates of coronary heart disease, hypertension, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, colon cancer, anxiety, and depression."

They say that, in particular, "the most persuasive proof" is in regards to coronary heart disease. They tell us that regularly active individuals have about half the risk of developing it as do their sedentary counterparts. They estimate that about one-third of annual deaths from coronary heart disease (about 160,000) in the United States can be linked to a lack of physical activity.

The authors provide recommendations compiled by a panel of scientists, physicians, and consumers who met in response to this epidemic of inactivity. In their recommendations, the panel chose to use the term "physical activity" rather than "exercise," because their thought is that most people are more likely to incorporate "moderate intensity activities" into their daily routine, than more intense fitness routines. Here, in summary, are their recommendations/findings:

* Both children and adults should gradually build up to 30 minutes of daily moderately-intense activity. The panel notes that this 30 minutes can be split up into 10-minute segments, if necessary.

* People who are already active can increase the intensity or duration of their activity to boost their fitness levels even further.

* Health care providers should take the responsibility of informing people about the importance of physical activity.

* To promote physical activity, there need to be environmental and policy changes at schools, worksites, and other community sites, as well as a national campaign in the United States.

The odds against us

Although a more fit humankind is certainly not an impossibility, the authors do point out the odds which are stacked against an industrialized society such as ours in achieving this goal. They say, "Industrialized society systematically excludes physical activity from our daily lives. Even walking, the simplest and most natural of all activities, can require the commitment of a salmon swimming up stream to spawn." Ironically, despite our abundance of health clubs and the like, the authors rightfully point out that many communities in the United States lack such basic fitness tools as pavements, bicycle paths, and accessible stairways. They also cite inadequate public transportation systems, crime, and distant proximities of stores, schools, and worksites as factors which encourage age staying at home and driving as more appealing options than walking or bicycling.

A word of advice

There is no particularly profound solution to starting and sticking with an "activity" program; however, the notion of selecting one that you find enjoyable seems to be one that's sensible and often recommended.

The other thing to strive for is variety, particularly if you are prone to getting bored with the same activity. Also, for those who favor more intense activity, "cross-training" is likely to lessen the chances of incurring injuries. In The New York Times, Jane E. Brody writes in one of her recent "Personal Health" columns, "By introducing variety into your exercise program, cross-training counters boredom and burnout and increases the likelihood that you will remain physically active for as long as you live.... Cross-training gives you choices, as many choices as you may want, regardless of weather or circumstances."

REFERENCES

Brody, Jane E. The New York Times. July 10,1996: C10.

Powell, KE., and Pratt, Michael. "Physical activity and health,"

British Medical Journal 313: 126-127, July 20, 1996.