Health Benefits of Exercise

According to a survey in 1998 by the Ministry of Health which was carried out on 32,936 adults ages 18 years and above in Malaysia, more than 60% were found to be physically inactive. About 31% of adults were engaged in some form of exercise but not on regular basis. Only 11.6% of the adults studied were engaged in regular exercise. The prevalence of women who never exercised was 75%. This survey also found out that more than 20% of adults in Malaysia are overweight and approximately 5.8 % are obese.

Alarming right?

Exercise is good. Many established studies have said that doing this regularly as (along with a healthy diet) could help prevent and treat chronic illnesses. For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity and stretching at least twice a week.

Specific Health Benefits of Exercise

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.

High Blood Pressure. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness, which is associated with high blood pressure.

Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes. By reducing body fatness, 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.

Psychological Effects. Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

So grab that running shoes and start jogging/walking at the park nearby or enroll yourselves to the gym. Get that body moving. I bet that you will feel real good after a good workout! Have fun!