Physical Exercise, Childhood, and Adulthood Health Status

Childhood physical fitness shapes the state of health that individuals experience in their future. Studies have shown that sedentary childhood leads to poor health outcomes during early and late adulthood. During the formative days, an active lifestyle shapes the physical structure as well as physiological status.

Children who are conditioned to unhealthy diets are also likely to be lazy, and consequently less active. Studies have also associated such lifestyles with a higher incidence of illnesses and even mortality. Physical inactivity can Lead to energy aberrations and can increase the risk of becoming overweight or obese, increase the risk of factors for cardiovascular disease, including hyperlipidemia high blood pressure, obesity, and insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, Increase the risk for developing breast, colon, endometrial, and lung cancers and, lead to low bone density, which in turn, leads to osteoporosis.

 

Institutions have been shown to influence the level and structure of activity that the youth are engaged in. This report therefore supports enrollment of the youth in some form of formal institution, where there are opportunities for supervised training. At the same time, the suggested model provides an interface for the integration of other health and educational activities in the learning program. Children who go to school for instance are more likely to appreciate the importance of exercise and healthy lifestyle. As such, child-to-child training emerges prominently as a pathway for enhanced youth health. In terms of development, the youth who are involved in games and sporting activities are more likely to impact the incidence of teenage pregnancies. Therefore engaging in physical activity conditions the body and mind to stay healthy. Additionally, Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance, and classroom demeanor.

Higher physical activity and physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance among students. At this point, let us examine some of the common health problems that may be associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity and type 2 diabetes and their pathogenic consequences stand out prominently. These diseases share risk factors with many other chronic conditions. Accordingly, by embracing behavioral changes that impact some of the diseases, it is possible to prevent several conditions. As such physical exercise acts like a broad-spectrum therapy that addresses several health concerns.

How can we promote active lifestyle

In many schools and learning institutions today, children have limited time for play. This observation has been made in many High-Income countries, where obesity is increasingly becoming a leading public health problem. In African countries and many LMICs, there is a changing lifestyle with many youth becoming sedentary as they spend leisure time watching TV and consuming unhealthy foods. It is projected that the incidence of non-communicable diseases is set to rise due to these changes. The LMICs have an opportunity to learn from the HICs, to abate the impacts of physical inactivity and unhealthy feeding. Whereas in the HMICs, there may be a well-developed infrastructure, the LMICs may have to cope with two problems, namely lack of medical infrastructure and the emerging problems associated with physical inactivity and unhealthful diet.

Policies to increase physical activity aim to ensure that:

Jogging, walking, cycling and other forms of active non-motorized forms of transport are accessible, affordable and safe for all;

Childcare, schools and higher education institutions provide room and facilities for all learners to spend their free time actively;

Occupational norms promote active commuting and opportunities for being physically active during the work day

Primary and secondary schools provide quality physical education that supports children in developing behavior patterns that will keep them physically active throughout their lives;

Community-based and school-sport programs provide appropriate opportunities for all age cohorts and talents

Sports and recreation facilities provide opportunities for everyone to access and participate in a variety of different sports, dance, exercise, and active recreation

Health service providers advise and support clients to be regularly active.

What are the economic benefits of engaging in physical activities?

Overall, there is the benefit of disease burden reduction that engenders several progenies. Most importantly, there is a reduction in the level of cost of disease management at the national, community, and family levels. The economic impacts of such actions may increase available financial allocation for other development projects.  Physical activity and related commerce may create employment and other economic activities.

Conclusions

There is overwhelming evidence that physical activity is good for human health.

It is not easy for one to start being active in adulthood and worse still in late adulthood, especially after a sedentary childhood.

There are many health benefits that accrue from physical activity, including mental and physical as well as social well-being.

At the same time, there are individual and community-wide economic benefits of maintaining physical activity.

 

Recommendation for further reading

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