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Benefits of physical exercise
01.
Benefits of physical exercise
There is no doubt: our society has gradually become sedentary. People are walking around less and less, they are sitting the whole day on a chair or in their car, and instead of taking the stairs they take the elevator. It is clearly established that in developed countries the amount of physical activity is insufficient. The 25% of adults in the world don’t meet the global recommended levels of physical activity, and even the 80% of adolescents is insufficiently physically active.
The demonstrated benefits of physical activity are several. This article aims to summarise and present them in an easy-to-understand way.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), physical activity:
- Has significant health benefits for hearts, bodies and minds;
- Contributes to preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes;
- Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety;
- Enhances thinking, learning and judgment skills;
- Ensures healthy growth and development in young people;
- Improves overall well-being.
More specifically, the greatest proven benefits of physical activity could be divided into the following groups:
Cardio
Improved aerobic capacity -> decreased blood -> pressure -> improved heart function -> reduced risk of arrythmia and cardiovascular diseases.
Sugar & Diabetes
Improved insulin sensibility -> improved glycaemic control -> reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Muscles & Bones
Improved muscular function -> enhanced bone density -> reduced risk of osteoporosis.
FAT
Improved metabolic function -> visceral fat reduction -> enhanced fat burning -> reduced obesity risk.
PSYCHE & HORMONES
Boosted production of dopamine (happiness hormone), serotonin and endorphins (better mood and sleep), reduced cortisol levels -> reduced stress and depression risk.
In conclusion, it is demonstrated that physical activity brings multiple benefits to a person, but we have to know what kind of physical activity to do, and which is best for us.
Sources:
World Health Organisation (WHO), 2022. Physical activity. Geneva, Switzerland. URL: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
Grosclaude, M., Ziltener, J., 2010. Les bienfaits de l’activité physique (et/ou les méfaits de la sédentarité), Rev Med Suisse, 258 (4), pp. 1495–1498. URL: https://www.revmed.ch/revue-medicale-suisse/2010/revue-medicale-suisse-258/les-bienfaits-de-l-activite-physique-et-ou-les-mefaits-de-la-sedentarite
Warburton, D.E., Nicol, C.W. and Bredin, S.S., 2006. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. Cmaj, 174(6), pp.801-809. URL: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/174/6/801.short
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