| KEY
MESSAGES |
- Older adults, both male and female, can
benefit from regular physical activity.
- Physical activity need not be strenuous to
achieve health benefits.
- Older adults can obtain significant health
benefits with a moderate amount of physical activity, preferably
daily. A moderate amount of activity can be obtained in longer
sessions of moderately intense activities (such as walking) or in
shorter sessions of more vigorous activities (such as fast walking
or stairwalking).
- Additional health benefits can be gained
through greater amounts of physical activity, either by increasing
the duration, intensity, or frequency. Because risk of injury
increases at high levels of physical activity, care should be taken
not to engage in excessive amounts of activity.
- Previously sedentary older adults who begin
physical activity programs should start with short intervals of
moderate physical activity (5-10 minutes) and gradually build up to
the desired amount.
- Older adults should consult with a physician
before beginning a new physical activity program.
- In addition to cardiorespiratory endurance
(aerobic) activity, older adults can benefit from
muscle-strengthening activities. Stronger muscles help reduce the
risk of falling and improve the ability to perform the routine tasks
of daily life.
|
| FACTS |
- The loss of strength and stamina attributed
to aging is in part caused by reduced physical activity.
- Inactivity increases with age. By age 75,
about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical
activity.
- Among adults aged 65 years and older, walking
and gardening or yard work are, by far, the most popular physical
activities.
- Social support from family and friends has
been consistently and positively related to regular physical
activity.
|
| BENEFITS
OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY |
- Helps maintain the ability to live
independently and reduces the risk of falling and fracturing bones.
- Reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart
disease and of developing high blood pressure, colon cancer, and
diabetes.
- Can help reduce blood pressure in some people
with hypertension.
- Helps people with chronic, disabling
conditions improve their stamina and muscle strength.
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression
and fosters improvements in mood and feelings of well-being.
- Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and
joints.
- Helps control joint swelling and pain
associated with arthritis.
|
| WHAT
COMMUNITIES CAN DO |
- Provide community-based physical activity
programs that offer aerobic, strengthening, and flexibility
components specifically designed for older adults.
- Encourage malls and other indoor or protected
locations to provide safe places for walking in any weather.
- Ensure that facilities for physical activity
accommodate and encourage participation by older adults.
- Provide transportation for older adults to
parks or facilities that provide physical activity programs.
- Encourage health care providers to talk
routinely to their older adult patients about incorporating physical
activity into their lives.
- Plan community activities that include
opportunities for older adults to be physically active.
|
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