Benefits And Risks Of Exercise

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Benefits And Risks Of Exercise

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=42384

`Vigorous physical activity both protects against and provokes acute

cardiac events,' a prominent authority told health and fitness

professionals in Orlando for the American College of Sports Medicine

(ACSM) 10th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition.

Barry lin, Ph.D., FACSM, an expert in cardiac rehabilitation and

a former president of ACSM, exhorted personal trainers and other

professionals to update their knowledge and question conventional

wisdom. " The result, " he said in his keynote address, " is better

information for you and better care for the clients you serve. "

In his characteristic, lighthearted yet provocative style, lin

said " I do think we have found weapons of mass destruction, "

referring to Americans' lifestyle of inactivity and poor nutrition.

He called the simultaneous increase in calorie intake and reduction

in calorie expenditure " the perfect storm " and lamented that " this

year, Americans will spend more [money] on fast food than on higher

education. "

Fitness professionals are a key part of the solution, according to

lin. He charged them to " Consider increasing the overall

activity of the clients you counsel. " lin explained that

accumulating physical activity daily in short bursts-for example,

performing household chores or taking stairs instead of elevators-can

be equivalent to a single, longer bout of exercise. " Four quarters

equal a dollar, " he offered as an analogy.

Originally, lin was skeptical. " I laughed when I heard this 10-

minute stuff, he said. I'm not laughing now. " He referred to research

by Jakicic, Ph.D., FACSM and others, comparing the effects of

multiple, short bouts of exercise (e.g. 10-15 minutes) with longer

sessions. The long-bout exercisers and those who performed repeated

short bouts had similar fitness outcomes, while short-bout subjects

were more consistent in reaching their exercise goals.

High-risk activities

Though physical activity and exercise clearly aid in preventing or

recovering from heart disease, lin noted that certain activities

carry increased risks for heart attack, especially among habitually

sedentary persons with known or hidden heart disease who engage in

unaccustomed vigorous physical activity. For example:

- Hunters have demonstrated maximal or supra-maximal heart rates

while shooting or when dragging deer carcasses.

- Snow removal can be deadly, particularly for older men. In one

study, participants' heart rate and blood pressure after 10 minutes

of snow shoveling were comparable to maximal treadmill testing. Their

oxygen intake was only slightly elevated, camouflaging the high

demands on their heart. Even the use of snow blowers carries

significant health risk, especially in early morning when heart

events are generally more likely to occur.

AEDs can be lifesavers

lin called for widespread availability of Automated External

Defibrillators (AEDs), echoing a Joint Position Statement of ACSM and

the American Heart Association. " I feel very strongly that AEDs

should be part of every health and fitness club, " he said. Citing

their modest cost (typically $1300 to $1500) and ease of training for

proper use, he told fitness professionals, " If you want to be ahead

of the game, get an AED and train people to use it. The time from

sudden cardiac death to defibrillation is the single greatest

determinant of a favorable outcome. "

Turning back the clock

Thoughtful regimens of physical activity and proper nutrition can pay

off throughout life, said lin. " Seventy percent of `normal'

aging is optional, " he claimed. " Half of age-related disease can be

prevented, delayed or ameliorated. " The goal, he explained, is to

maintain the health that can help provide better quality of life well

into one's later years. " The best predictors of disability, " he

said, " are smoking, body mass index, and exercise patterns. "

Summing up, lin urged health and fitness professionals to keep

up with journals and to become involved in professional organizations

such as ACSM. By taking such opportunities for service, learning and

leadership, he told them, " You can break away from the crowd. "

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the largest sports

medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than

20,000 International, National and Regional members are dedicated to

promoting and integrating scientific research, education and

practical applications of sports medicine and exercise science to

maintain and enhance physical performance, fitness, health and

quality of life.

ACSM would like to thank the following supporters of the 2006 Health

& Fitness Summit & Exposition: Amino Vital, Gatorade, The Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, Mars, New Lifestyles, PowerBar, Sport

Beans, Lippincott & Wilkins, 6th Dimension Devices, exel,

NSF International, Suunto, Thera-Band, Viasys Healthcare, and Yamax.