Benefits of physical activity

Physical fitness is a general state of health
and well-being or specifically the ability to
perform aspects of sports or occupations.
Physical fitness is generally achieved through
correct nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest. It
is a set of attributes or characteristics that
people have or achieve that relates to the
ability to perform physical activity.
Before the industrial revolution, fitness was the
capacity to carry out the day’s activities
without undue fatigue. However with
automation and changes in lifestyles physical
fitness is now considered a measure of the
body’s ability to function efficiently and
effectively in work and leisure activities, to be
healthy , to resist hypokinetic diseases , and to
meet emergency situations.

Benefits of physical activity

The benefits of exercise extend far beyond weight
management. Research shows that regular
physical activity can help reduce your risk for
several diseases and health conditions and
improve your overall quality of life. Regular
physical activity can help protect you from the
following health problems.

Heart Disease and Stroke . Daily physical activity
can help prevent heart disease and stroke by
strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your
blood pressure, raising your high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and
lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad
cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing
your heart's working capacity. Optimizing each of
these factors can provide additional benefits of
decreasing the risk for Peripheral Vascular
Disease .

High Blood Pressure . Regular physical activity can
reduce blood pressure in those with high blood
pressure levels. Physical activity reduces body fat,
which is associated with high blood pressure.
Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes . By reducing body
fat, physical activity can help to prevent and
control this type of diabetes.

Obesity . Physical activity helps to reduce body fat
by building or preserving muscle mass and
improving the body's ability to use calories. When
physical activity is combined with proper nutrition,
it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a
major risk factor for many diseases.

Back Pain . By increasing muscle strength and
endurance and improving flexibility and posture,
regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.
Osteoporosis . Regular weight-bearing exercise
promotes bone formation and may prevent many
forms of bone loss associated with aging.

Self Esteem And Stress Management. Studies on
the psychological effects of exercise have found
that regular physical activity can improve your
mood and the way you feel about yourself.
Researchers have found that exercise is likely to
reduce depression and anxiety and help you to
better manage stress.

Disability. Running and aerobic exercise have
been shown to postpone the development of
disability in older adults.