Step right up! It's the miracle cure we've all been waiting for.
It can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease,
stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early
death by up to 30%.
It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a GP to get some. Its name? Exercise.
Exercise is the miracle cure we’ve always had, but we’ve neglected to
take our recommended dose for too long. Our health is now suffering as a
consequence.
This is no snake oil. Whatever your age, there's strong scientific
evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and
even happier life.
People who do regular activity have a lower risk of many chronic
diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some
cancers.
Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem,
mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
“If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective
drugs ever invented,” says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion
consultant.
Health benefits
Given the overwhelming evidence, it seems obvious that we should all
be physically active. It's essential if you want to live a healthy and
fulfilling life into old age.
"If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost-effective drugs ever invented", says Dr Nick Cavill.
It's medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- a 30% lower risk of early death
- up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
What counts?
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk but you can't sing the words to a song.
Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activities are:
- walking fast
- water aerobics
- riding a bike on level ground or with few hills
- playing doubles tennis
- pushing a lawn mower
A modern problem
People are less active nowadays, partly because technology has made our lives easier. We drive cars or take public transport. Machines wash our clothes. We entertain ourselves in front of a TV or computer screen. Fewer people are doing manual work, and most of us have jobs that involve little physical effort. Work, house chores, shopping and other necessary activities are far less demanding than for previous generations.
Recommended physical activity levels
We move around less and burn off less energy than people
used to. Research suggests that many adults spend more than seven hours a
day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time.
People aged over 65 spend 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying
down, making them the most sedentary age group.
Sedentary lifestyles
Inactivity is described by the Department of Health as a “silent
killer”. Evidence is emerging that sedentary behaviour, such as sitting
or lying down for long periods, is bad for your health. Spending hours
sitting down watching TV or playing computer games is thought to
increase your risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease,
stroke and diabetes, as well as weight gain and obesity.
Not only should you try to raise your activity levels, but you should
also reduce the amount of time you and your family spend sitting down.
Common examples of sedentary behaviour include watching TV, using a
computer, using the car for short journeys and sitting down to read,
talk or listen to music.
“Previous generations were active more naturally through work and
manual labour but today we have to find ways of integrating activity
into our daily lives,” says Dr Cavill.
Whether it's limiting the time babies spend strapped in their buggies
to encouraging adults to stand up and move frequently, people of all
ages need to reduce their sedentary behaviour.
“This means that each of us needs to think about increasing the types
of activities that suit our lifestyle and can easily be included in our
day,” says Dr Cavill.
Crucially, you can hit your weekly activity target but still be at
risk of ill health if you spend the rest of the time sitting or lying
down.
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