Improved Health With Regular Physical Activity

Most studies suggest that participation in regular physical activity plays a positive role in improving an individual’s health.

The following results, linked to risk factors and risk precursors, have been documented:

Cardiovascular Health

  • Prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Reduced risk of coronary heart disease mortality and fatal reinfarctions
  • Increased recovery capacity from a cardiac event
  • Reduced coronary atherosclerosis
  • Improved aerobic capacity
  • Lower resting heart rate
  • Decreased blood triglyceride levels
  • Increased endurance time

Hypertension

  • Reduced likelihood of elevated blood pressure

Cholesterol

  • Reduced total serum cholesterol
  • Increased level of protective high-density lipoproteins
  • Generally speaking, the beneficial effects begin to occur within the first month of starting a physical activity program

In summary

The rist of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality reduces with increasing levels of physical activity at all ages, including the elderly.

Reduced Risk of Cancer

  • 70% of cancers are attributable to lifestyle or environmental exposures

Reduced Musculoskeletal Disorders

  • Reduced injuries to the lower back
  • Faster recovery time when injuries occur
  • Fewer relapses
  • Increased joint flexibility and abdominal muscle strength (70% of low back pain is due to poor flexibility and abdominal muscle tone)
  • Greater stamina, overall body strength, endurance, balance and coordination (important in occupational safety)
  • Reduced chronic fatigue
  • Higher pain threshold and improved self-efficacy among persons with osteoarthritis (including increased gait velocity and increased range of motion)
  • Reduced risk of back injury

Reduced Diabetes Risk

  • Decreased risk of developing non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Reduced Risk of Osteoporosis

  • Reduced bone loss or facilitation of some gain in bone mineral content in postmenopausal women

Improved Respiratory Function

  • Improved aerobic capacity and increased maximum oxygen uptake

Reduced Incidence of Illness/Injury/Health Risk

  • Reduced risk factors, occurrence and duration of illness and age-adjusted mortality rates

Reduced Obesity

  • Decreased obesity
  • Improved quality of weight loss
  • Influenced positive changes in dietary habits

Reducing Smoking (and its related illnesses)

  • Participants in active living programs are more likely to reduce or eliminate smoking from their lifestyle, especially if they are also registered in a smoking cessation program

Increased Safety

  • Reduced incidence and severity of workplace accidents
  • Reduced mental fatigue

Reduced Impact of Stress

  • Reduced physiological and psychological consequences of stress
  • Greater capacity for handling stress (resiliency)

Taken from ‘Health Canada – Physical Fitness Guide: Trends and Impact;
The Basis For Investment Decisions’.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/fitness/work/impact_e.html