Physical inactivity is a major public health problem of our time. Those who think they have no time for exercise sooner or later have to find time for illness. The evidence is here and demonstrates that low fitness causes more deaths than smoking-obesity-diabetes combined. Exercise is a cheap and effective way to protect your body, mind and overall health from illness. Exercise is medicine! Take it daily!
Protect your body
Being active every day helps you stay physically healthy. If you aren’t very active you increase your risk of getting serious conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Protect your mind
Being active is really good for your mind as well as your body. Getting some physical activity each day can help prevent you getting depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Moving more can also help you get a good night’s sleep, which helps your brain to rest and recharge.
Age well
Being active is critical to maintain a healthy body and mind for later years. Not being active increases your risk of many conditions that will impact on your future quality of life, including dementia, osteoarthritis and general physical limitations in older age.
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
“Exercise is medicine! Take it daily!”
See also:
Read more at:
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/moving#u2D0CgvZe8VzxKpE.99
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/whybeactive.aspx
