CMAJ • September 26, 2006; 175 (7). doi:10.1503/cmaj.1060093.
© 2006 CMA Media Inc. or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Letters

Health benefits of physical activity

Ediriweera Desapriya, Ian Pike and Shelina Babul

Department of Pediatrics, Centre for Community Child Health Research, Vancouver,BC

As described by Darren Warburton and colleagues,1 regular physical activity provides a variety of health and fitness benefits. However, barriers to exercise are frequently reported, including lack of time, lack of access and lack of safe environments in which to work out.2 Increased availability of affordable, secure environments for physical activities combined with acceptable exercise choices, such as walking, swimming, biking or fitness classes, may increase activity levels.

However, education alone does not motivate changes in behaviour, nor will such changes be made before a person is ready to do so.3 Researchers and health care providers have implemented health-promoting interventions for diverse groups of people for many years with mixed success.4 They have also reported that disease and disability disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities and impoverished people.5 Therefore, we need to develop and deliver inclusive, culturally appropriate interventions to increase and encourage active lifestyles and healthy diets in our communities.

Highlighting the public health benefits of physical activities and active lifestyles, as Warburton and colleagues1 have done, is important. Discussing barriers to physical activities and suggesting solutions, as well as making recommendations about best practices to increase physical activities, are just as important. To slow and reverse current trends in obesity-related health problems, highly effective health promotion interventions and removal of barriers to active lifestyles and healthy diets are greatly needed.6

REFERENCES

  1. Warburton DER, Nicol CW, Bredin SSD. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ 2006;174(6):801-9.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  2. French SA, Story M, Jeffery RW. Environmental influences on eating and physical activity. Annu Rev Public Health 2001;22;309-35.
  3. Sneed NV, Paul SC. Readiness for behavioral changes in patients with heart failure. Am J Crit Care 2003;12(5):444-53.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  4. Wanko NS, Brazier CW, Young-Rogers D, et al. Exercise preferences and barriers in urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Educ 2004;30(3):502-13.[Free Full Text]
  5. Brownson RC, Eyler AA, King AC. Reliability of information on physical activity and other chronic disease risk factors among US women aged 40 years or older. Am J Epidemiol 1999;149:379-91.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  6. Desapriya E. Obesity epidemic [letter]. Lancet 2004; 364:1488.[Medline]




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