What are the benefits of exercise and physical activity to health?

(1) prevention of cardiovascular diseases cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer endangering human life in the world today. According to reports, one in every two deaths in the United States is cardiovascular disease, and China is also the first place to die of cardiovascular disease. A large number of studies show that participating in regular physical exercise can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease formation and occurrence. (2) Improve the function of the respiratory system. When people deepen the breathing process in physical exercise, they will inhale more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide, thus increasing vital capacity, reducing residual capacity and enhancing lung function. People who exercise regularly have strong physical adaptability, so their breathing appears stable, deep and even, and the frequency is also slow, averaging 6-8 breaths per minute, while those who do not exercise average 65,438+02-65,438+05 breaths per minute. (3) Improving the function of digestive system Physical exercise will increase the consumption of nutrients in the body, enhance the metabolism of the whole body, and thus increase appetite. In addition, physical exercise can also promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and secretion of digestive juice, improve the function of liver and pancreas, thus improving the function of the whole digestive system and providing good material guarantee for people's health and longevity. (4) Improving the function of the nervous system Human activities are coordinated activities under the control of the nervous system. People who insist on exercising (especially middle-aged and elderly people) often show flexibility, alertness and energy, which is the performance of strong nervous system. (5) Reducing the risk of diabetes One of the characteristics of diabetes is that people's blood sugar level is very high. If the patient does not control it, it will also cause many other health problems, such as impaired vision and kidney deficiency. Regular physical exercise can control the improvement of blood sugar level, thus greatly reducing the possibility of individual suffering from diabetes. (6) Prevention of Fracture Osteoporosis will cause fractures, which will happen to people of all ages, especially the elderly (especially elderly women). Studies have shown that regular physical exercise can prevent fractures by increasing bone density and bone strength. Of course, physical exercise also has a positive therapeutic effect on osteoporosis patients. (7) Ability to maintain physical activity One of the main characteristics of human aging is the gradual decline of physical activity ability, especially after the age of 60. There is a proverb in our country: "Old people exercise frequently, and crutches are used as swords". Facts show that regular physical exercise can slow down the degradation of physical activity ability of the elderly. (8) Control your weight and change your body shape. As we all know, obesity will affect people's normal physiological functions, especially leading to increased heart burden and shortened life expectancy. If a person's subcutaneous fat exceeds the normal standard 15 ~ 25%, then his risk of death will increase to 30%. As the saying goes, "if you practice tendons for a long time, you will get three points longer, and if you don't practice, you will get an inch thicker." Because physical exercise can reduce fat, enhance muscle strength and maintain joint flexibility, it can control weight and improve body shape and appearance. (9) Longevity As the saying goes, "Eighty is not old, if you have good physical exercise; Poor physical exercise, forty long white hair. " A large number of studies show that regular exercise can prolong life. A 30-year study shows that people who don't exercise are 365,438+0% more likely to die earlier than those who exercise regularly. So, why does regular exercise help to prolong life? The main reason is that regular physical exercise can prevent the occurrence of heart disease and cancer.