Exercise


Book Description

One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Exercise!




Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults


Book Description

Go beyond aging theories and examine the physiological and physical impacts of aging. Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults takes a close look at the physical implications of the aging process and how health, physical activity, and exercise interact in aging adults. With an international team of contributors composed of leading experts from across the field of gerontology, Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary coverage of the physical aging process and its effects on movement and exercise. Research on the physiological and physical implications of aging is presented, focusing on study outcomes and their practical application in optimizing healthy aging. Presented in an integrated and cohesive manner, this text is organized into four parts. Part I covers the theoretical foundations of biological aging, the implications of aging theories on medical research, and the social and economic impacts of demographic shifts due to population aging and global population size. Part II addresses age-related changes to the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and endocrine systems. Part III covers the physical effects of aging on other dimensions of life, including balance, motor control, and physical functions. Part IV focuses on exercise and older adults, taking an in-depth look at exercise measurements and the main barriers to regular exercise. One full chapter is devoted to recommendations for optimizing health for the general public, while another chapter is focused on performance by elite older athletes who exercise beyond functional fitness. Chapter objectives, end-of-chapter summaries, and review questions highlight key concepts and promote learning retention. Behavior Check sidebars look at the impacts of aging on behavior, how behavior affects physical health and activity, and how changes in behavior can improve everyday living. Functional Fitness Checkup sidebars focus on the performance of daily movements that are vital for older adults who want to maintain their physical independence. Putting It Into Practice elements provide examples of real-life application of the concepts presented, facilitating a practical understanding of how to use the content to benefit clients. A definitive resource for students and health care professionals who study physical aging, conduct clinical research, or work with older adults as clients and patients, Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults helps readers understand the aging process and its effects on movement, exercise, and other dimensions of life.




International Differences in Mortality at Older Ages


Book Description

In 1950 men and women in the United States had a combined life expectancy of 68.9 years, the 12th highest life expectancy at birth in the world. Today, life expectancy is up to 79.2 years, yet the country is now 28th on the list, behind the United Kingdom, Korea, Canada, and France, among others. The United States does have higher rates of infant mortality and violent deaths than in other developed countries, but these factors do not fully account for the country's relatively poor ranking in life expectancy. International Differences in Mortality at Older Ages: Dimensions and Sources examines patterns in international differences in life expectancy above age 50 and assesses the evidence and arguments that have been advanced to explain the poor position of the United States relative to other countries. The papers in this deeply researched volume identify gaps in measurement, data, theory, and research design and pinpoint areas for future high-priority research in this area. In addition to examining the differences in mortality around the world, the papers in International Differences in Mortality at Older Ages look at health factors and life-style choices commonly believed to contribute to the observed international differences in life expectancy. They also identify strategic opportunities for health-related interventions. This book offers a wide variety of disciplinary and scholarly perspectives to the study of mortality, and it offers in-depth analyses that can serve health professionals, policy makers, statisticians, and researchers.




Physiology of Exercise and Healthy Aging


Book Description

"This text is written explicitly for readers with an interest in the aging process and the effects that exercise has on the quality of life and various diseases and maladies of the aging population. It is expected that the readers using this book as a course textbook or as auxiliary reading for a course, will have taken at least an introductory course in human physiology. The text refers throughout to the three groups in the aging and health spectrum, average aging individuals, the frail elderly and Masters Athletes"--




Aging, Physical Activity, and Health


Book Description

In Aging, Physical Activity, and Health, Roy J. Shephard, one of the world's leading authorities on exercise science, reviews and synthesizes the scientific literature on the physiological changes of aging and how regular physical activity affects the aging process.Shephard's critical analysis features the latest theories on how aging and exercise affect such medical conditions as cardiorespiratory disease, musculoskeletal diseases, metabolic health, mental function, and general well-being. He provides conclusive physiological evidence that exercise is effective for reducing the risk of many diseases, maximizing independence, and improving the quality of life for the elderly. Shephard also discusses the economic and social consequences of an aging society.More than 1, 700 references make this book an excellent resource for those who want to investigate specific areas of aging and activity.




Physical Activity and the Aging Brain


Book Description

Physical Activity and the Aging Brain: Effects of Exercise on Neurological Function is a complete guide to the manifold effects of exercise and physical activity on the aging brain. Cognitive decline and motor impairment, onset of diseases and disorders, and even changes in family structure and social settings that occur as we age can all impact activity levels, yet continued physical activity is crucial for successful neurological functioning. This book examines the role that exercise and physical activity play in halting or modulating the deleterious effects of these numerous aging concerns by first examining the current state of research into how exercise manifests physical changes in the brain. It then discuss how physical activity combines with other lifestyle factors to benefit the aging brain, including nutrition, computerized brain training, and social engagement. Most significantly, it also covers how physical activity can serve as therapy to help alleviate the symptoms of various neurological diseases impacting aging populations, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. The book provides broad coverage of the effects of exercise and physical activity on the aging brain, its therapeutic effects, and the many factors that influence the aging process. Presents research scientists with a complete understanding of the role of exercise in healthy brain aging Considers the roles of nutrition, the mind-body connection, and other lifestyle factors Presents a major resource for exercise and physical activity in the neurological health of older adults Provides a synopsis of key ideas associated with the many aspects of physical activity, along with lifestyle factors that can modify neurological diseases and age-related neurological decline




Physical Activity Instruction of Older Adults, 2E


Book Description

Physical Activity Instruction of Older Adults, Second Edition, is the most comprehensive text available for current and future fitness professionals who want to design and implement effective, safe, and fun physical activity programs for older adults with diverse functional capabilities.







Exercise Is Medicine


Book Description

Aging, despite its dismal reputation, is actually one of the great mysteries of the universe. Why don't we just reproduce, then exit fast, like salmon? Could aging just be one big evolutionary accident? Is senescence, the gradual falling apart of our bodies, at least partially avoidable? Can we extend the healthy lifespan and reduce the lingering, debilitating effects of senescence? In this book, investigative health journalist Judy Foreman suggests that we actually can, and the key element is exercise, through its myriad effects on dozens of molecules in the brain, the muscles, and other organs. It's no secret, of course, that exercise is good for you and that exercise can extend longevity. What Foreman uncovers through extensive research into evolutionary biology, exercise physiology, and the new field of geroscience is exactly why exercise is so powerful - the mechanisms now being discovered that account for the vast and varied effects of exercise all over the body. Though Foreman also delves into pills designed to combat aging and so-called exercise "mimetics," or pills that purport to produce the effects of exercise without the sweat, her resounding conclusion is that exercise itself is by far the most effective, and safest, strategy for promoting a long, healthy life. In addition to providing a fascinating look at the science of exercise's effects on the body, Foreman also provides answers to the most commonly asked practical questions about exercise.




Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries


Book Description

During the last 25 years, life expectancy at age 50 in the United States has been rising, but at a slower pace than in many other high-income countries, such as Japan and Australia. This difference is particularly notable given that the United States spends more on health care than any other nation. Concerned about this divergence, the National Institute on Aging asked the National Research Council to examine evidence on its possible causes. According to Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries, the nation's history of heavy smoking is a major reason why lifespans in the United States fall short of those in many other high-income nations. Evidence suggests that current obesity levels play a substantial part as well. The book reports that lack of universal access to health care in the U.S. also has increased mortality and reduced life expectancy, though this is a less significant factor for those over age 65 because of Medicare access. For the main causes of death at older ages-cancer and cardiovascular disease-available indicators do not suggest that the U.S. health care system is failing to prevent deaths that would be averted elsewhere. In fact, cancer detection and survival appear to be better in the U.S. than in most other high-income nations, and survival rates following a heart attack also are favorable. Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries identifies many gaps in research. For instance, while lung cancer deaths are a reliable marker of the damage from smoking, no clear-cut marker exists for obesity, physical inactivity, social integration, or other risks considered in this book. Moreover, evaluation of these risk factors is based on observational studies, which-unlike randomized controlled trials-are subject to many biases.