CMAJ • March 14, 2006; 174 (6). doi:10.1503/cmaj.051351.
© 2006 CMA Media Inc. or its licensors
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Review

Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence

Darren E.R. Warburton, Crystal Whitney Nicol and Shannon S.D. Bredin

From the School of Human Kinetics, University of British Columbia (Warburton, Nicol, Bredin), and the Healthy Heart Program, St. Paul's Hospital (Warburton, Nicol), Vancouver, BC

Correspondence to: Dr. Darren E.R. Warburton, Cardiovascular Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Unit II, Osborne Centre, 6108 Thunderbird Blvd., Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3; fax 604 822-9451; darren.warburton{at}ubc.ca

Abstract

The primary purpose of this narrative review was to evaluate the current literature and to provide further insight into the role physical inactivity plays in the development of chronic disease and premature death. We confirm that there is irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression and osteoporosis) and premature death. We also reveal that the current Health Canada physical activity guidelines are sufficient to elicit health benefits, especially in previously sedentary people. There appears to be a linear relation between physical activity and health status, such that a further increase in physical activity and fitness will lead to additional improvements in health status.




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