Posts Tagged ‘physical fitness’
While “close” may count in horseshoes, it isn’t usually a word we affiliate with success. In point of fact, very little in life, it seems, counts much at all if you don’t “hit the bull’s eye” or a “grand slam.” Luckily for some, this may not be entirely the case when it comes to an extended lifespan. As a chiropractor in Orlando, who has many senior patients and who is also a firm believer in the advantages of exercise at every age, I was very interested in the following study.
Researchers found that of the “least-fit” versus the “slightly more fit” in a recent study of nearly 4,400 healthy U.S. adults, roughly 20 percent with the lowest physical fitness levels were twice as likely to die over the nine years of the study as the 20 percent with the next-lowest fitness levels. (That is to say, those 20 percent who were close to the lowest fitness levels.) This is the time-honored “bad news/good news” type of result. It is undoubtedly bad news if you are a confirmed sofa spud. However, it is genuinely good news for those who haven’t quite hit rock bottom in the sedentary lifestyle department but are not, by any stretch of the imagination, “exertive.” Apparently, those people who continue to be just moderately fit as they grow older may live longer than those who are completely out-of-shape, the study suggests.
The study included 4,384 middle-aged and senior men and women whose fitness levels were determined during exercise treadmill tests sometime between 1986 and 2006. For approximately nine years thereafter, the researchers pursued the study groups progress. Such factors as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure were considered in the study. This, in and of itself, accentuates the importance of physical fitness itself. In an email to Reuters Health, Dr. Sandra Mandic, of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, and lead researcher of the study wrote: “Our findings suggest that a sedentary lifestyle, rather than differences in cardiovascular risk factors or age, may explain the two-fold higher mortality rates in the least-fit versus slightly more fit individuals.”
Nearly two-thirds of the least-fit study participants were not getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise, which is at least 30 minutes of moderate activity (like brisk walking) five or more days a week. “These results emphasize the importance of improving and maintaining high fitness levels by engaging in regular physical activity,” Mandic said, “particularly in poorly-fit individuals.”
After separating the study group participants by fitness levels, the researchers found that 13 percent of those who were in slightly better shape had died during the study period. But, 25 percent of the least-fit participants had died during the same period. Among adults in the most-fit group (the ones who “hit bull’s eyes and grand slams,” so to speak) only 6 percent died during the follow-up period.
The notable finding was that overall, the five fitness-level groups showed little difference in their reported exercise practices over their adult lives, but where they contrasted was their activity levels in recent years. “Since it is recent physical activity that offers protection,” Mandic said, “it is important to maintain regular physical activity throughout life.”
In this particular study, irrespective of weight and other health issues such as those mentioned above, fitness is undeniably linked to longevity. Therefore, exercise is essential to the extension of our lifespan. And, of course, just think of the health advantages we could all experience if we worked our way up into the higher levels of fitness.
SOURCE: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, August 2009.
You may have read on this website, or elsewhere, about recent studies that have shown that physical activity is requisite to getting and staying healthy, especially as we age. But, if you’ve been inactive for awhile, even the idea of exercise might seem “exhausting.” The best way, then, to approach this much-needed addition to your lifestyle is, literally and figuratively, to do it one step at a time. A smart “first step” is to see a health care professional, like your chiropractor, for a full physical examination. Once it is confirmed that you won’t make matters worse through movement, then the next step is simply to start moving a bit each day.
Any movement is a step towards better health and physical fitness. Walk a lap (or two) around your house or apartment. Put that TV remote away and get up to change the channels. As your body becomes accustomed to moving again, you will probably discover that you actually want to move more. Then you can slowly add additional movement to your daily routine. Increase the walk around your house to a walk around the block, a walk in the park, or even a walk through the shopping mall. Walking with a friend can often help to keep you on track(especially on those days when you’d rather sit and veg, then get your body moving). If you are physically able, take the stairs instead of using the elevator as often as you can. Park farther away from the entrance to the supermarket and make it a goal to put more and more parking spots between you and the entrance.
After a few weeks of regular physical activity, you will begin to feel the healthful benefits of movement. Then you’ll be ready for new ways to build flexibility, fitness, and muscle strength. Your chiropractor can advise you on how to become more physically active and help you to development an individualized program.