National Health Goals

Introduction

Physical Activity and Hypokinetic Diseases

• 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 and the economic cost is high.
• Regular physical activity over a lifetime may overcome the effects of inherited risk.
• Hypokinetic diseases and conditions have many causes.

Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Diseases

• The many types of cardiovascular diseases are the leading killers in automated societies.
• There is a wealth of statistical evidence that physical inactivity is a primary risk factor for CHD.

Physical Activity and the Healthy Heart

• Regular physical activity will increase the ability of the heart muscle to pump oxygen rich blood.

Physical Activity and Atherosclerosis

• Atherosclerosis, which begins early in life, is implicated in many cardiovascular diseases.
• Regular physical activity can help prevent atherosclerosis by lowering blood lipid levels.
• Regular physical activity can help prevent atherosclerosis by increasing HDL in the blood.
• Regular physical activity can help prevent atherosclerosis by reducing blood coagulents.
• Other indicators of inflammation of the arteries are predictive of atherosclerosis.

Physical Activity and Heart Attack

• Regular physical activity reduces the risk for heart attack, the most prevalent and serious of all cardiovascular diseases.
• Regular exercise can improve coronary circulation and thus, reduce the chances of a heart attack or dying from one.
• The heart of the inactive person is less able to resist stress and is more susceptible to an emotional storm that may precipitate a heart attack.
• Regular physical activity is one effective means of rehabilitation for a person who has coronary heart disease or who has had a heart attack.

Physical Activity and Other Cardiovascular Diseases

• Regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).
• Regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of stroke.
• Regular physical activity is helpful in the prevention of peripheral vascular diseases.
• Physical activity is associated with metabolic syndrome.
• Many factors in addition to healthy lifestyle change have led to a significant reduction in cardiovascular disease deaths in recent years.

Physical Activity and Other Hypokinetic Conditions

• Physical activity reduces the risk of some forms of cancer.
• Physical activity plays an important role in the management and treatment of Type II diabetes.
• Regular physical activity is important to maintaining bone density and decreasing risk for osteoporosis.
• Active people who possess good muscle fitness are less likely to have back and musculoskeletal problems than inactive, unfit people.
• Physical activity is important in maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding the numerous health conditions associated with obesity.
• Physical activity reduces the risk and severity of a variety of common mental (emotional) health disorders.
• Physical activity can help the immune system fight illness.
• New evidence indicates that Alzheimer's disease and dementia are hypokinetic conditions.
• Regular physical activity can have positive effects on some nonhypokinetic conditions.

Physical Activity and Aging

• Regular physical activity can improve fitness and improve functioning among older adults.
• Regular physical activity can compress illness into a shorter period of our life.

Physical Activity and Wellness

• Good health-related physical fitness and regular physical activity are important for optimal wellness.
• Physical activity is a major part of worksite health promotion programs.
• There are many different positive lifestyles that can reduce the risk of disease and promote health and wellness.

Strategies for Action

• A self-assessment of risk factors can help you modify your lifestyle to reduce risk of heart disease.
• Selecting physical activities from the physical activity pyramid can help you achieve the health benefits described in this concept.

Web Resources

Supplemental Readings

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