Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence
- PMID: 16534088
- PMCID: PMC1402378
- DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.051351
Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence
Abstract
The primary purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate the current literature and to provide further insight into the role physical inactivity plays in the development of chronic disease and premature death. We confirm that there is irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression and osteoporosis) and premature death. We also reveal that the current Health Canada physical activity guidelines are sufficient to elicit health benefits, especially in previously sedentary people. There appears to be a linear relation between physical activity and health status, such that a further increase in physical activity and fitness will lead to additional improvements in health status.
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Comment in
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Health benefits of physical activity.CMAJ. 2006 Sep 26;175(7):773-6; author reply 777. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1060095. CMAJ. 2006. PMID: 17001060 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Health benefits of physical activity.CMAJ. 2006 Sep 26;175(7):776-7; author reply 777. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1060139. CMAJ. 2006. PMID: 17001063 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Health benefits of physical activity.CMAJ. 2006 Sep 26;175(7):776; author reply 777. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1060093. CMAJ. 2006. PMID: 17001064 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Health benefits of physical activity.CMAJ. 2006 Sep 26;175(7):776; author reply 777. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1060094. CMAJ. 2006. PMID: 17001065 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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