FIT FOR LIFE/GILES WARRINGTON:IN MODERN Irish life, where we are cash rich and time poor, there is an ever-increasing trend towards inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle.
We are constantly reminded of the need to exercise more, but have you ever sat down and wondered why participation in regular physical activity is so important to your long-term health and wellbeing?
The importance of regular exercise cannot be understated. Inactivity is one of the key risk factors for cardiovascular disease and premature death.
Genetically, we are pre-programmed for physical activity. Our distant ancestors were hunter-gatherers who relied on their physical prowess for survival.
However, more recent technological developments such as the automobile and the computer game have had a dramatic impact on our activity levels.
The emergence of an obesity epidemic in Ireland was highlighted in the 2002 North South Survey conducted on more than 19,000 children aged between four and 16 and published in 2007.
The survey revealed a worrying trend that overall almost one in four boys and over one in four girls were either overweight or obese.
This rapid increase in the incidence of obesity cannot be purely explained by genetic considerations, and is primarily due to environmental influences, with nutrition and exercise (or rather the lack of them) being key causal factors.
The scientific evidence supporting the wider health benefits of regular participation in exercise is highly compelling. Extensive scientific research has shown unequivocally that regular participation in physical activity and exercise has a significant impact on everyday health and wellbeing.
Regular exercise participation (about three to five times per week) has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and type-two diabetes.
Weight-bearing activity, such as running, has also been shown to promote bone health and prevent bone mineral loss, which can lead to osteoporosis.
The implementation of appropriate endurance and resistance-type exercise programmes has also been used to promote and maintain strength and flexibility.
Furthermore, physical activity promotes mental wellbeing and has been used in the treatment of anxiety and depression. The good news is that you don't need to train like an Olympic marathon runner to gain many of these health benefits. Rather, small lifestyle changes will have a marked positive impact on your everyday life.
It's as simple as committing to engage in moderate aerobic activity of around 30 minutes for three to five times a week. Alternatively, you can accumulate 30 minutes of physical exercise, in smaller 10 minute bouts, over the course of the day for up to five days per week.
Over the coming weeks, we will be exploring many of these areas in more detail, as well as looking at a range of topical issues related to physical activity, exercise and health.
Dr Giles Warrington is a sport and exercise physiologist and lecturer in the School of Health and Human Performance at DCU.