Promote Physical Activity for Every Body

The CDC says that 36% of U.S. adults did not engage in any leisure-time physical activity in 2008. Urging regular exercise is nothing new given America’s hefty overweight and obesity statistics. But even lean, inactive men and women are at higher risk of death and disease. The emphasis should not necessarily be on obesity, but rather on increasing physical activity for everyone, which can be as simple as 30 minutes a day of walking.

Starting an exercise program can be beneficial at any age with almost immediate improvements in well-being and health. Even moderate physical activity has been shown to boost the immune system and protect against disease.

And it makes good sense for businesses to promote physical activity as a healthy lifestyle choice. “No pill or nutritional supplement has the power of near-daily moderate activity in lowering the number of sick days people take,” says David Nieman, director of Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab in Kannapolis, N.C.

Two Takeaways:

Take it slow. It is a no-brainer that exercise is good for you, but jumping into a new physical routine could be risky if you have: a health condition such as asthma, high blood pressure or high cholesterol; a family history of heart disease before age 55; you smoke or you have quit smoking in the past six months; or you’re overweight or obese, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Get a doctor’s approval. Checking with your health care provider is generally advised before significantly changing your physical activity level.

Here are the best Tweets of the week:

• Plate weighing device ‘can curb childhood obesity’. Wonder if it would work for adults? http://bit.ly/91BMI1
• Do sugary drinks really fuel weight gain? It is complicated, says new study. http://bit.ly/6sptNA
• Study says women with mate put on weight. http://bit.ly/5Rsq1w
• Recipes and menus that are great choices for healthy weight control and weight loss over the long term. http://bit.ly/6uq8dX
• Insurers focus on prevention http://bit.ly/5ri1W6

Follow us on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.