'Survival of the fittest': effect of regular physical exercise on health and life expectancy
Birkenhäger, W.H.; de Leeuw, P.W.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 146(32): 1479-1483
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2162 PMID: 12198825 Document Number: 542024
According to the 'Australian burden of disease study', physical inactivity appears to be a leading risk factor in the population at large, accounting for no less than 6.7% of the total loss of disability-adjusted life years. In women it is even the most important risk factor. Regular physical mobility and exercise can reduce this negative influence. The effects are: improvement of cardiovascular fitness, prevention of coronary events, and the reduction of excess mortality. The mortality risk may be reduced by 47% by physical activity, depending on the energy expenditure. Especially the studies of the last two years have so convincingly proven a robust effect of daily physical exercise that on this point permissiveness is no longer acceptable in the advice to the population at large.