Active Lifestyle, Fitness and Health

Abstract

It is almost universally accepted that people who are physically active throughout life generally benefit from a higher level of health and functional capacity than their sedentary counterparts. However, the present knowledge base regarding the relationships between physical activity, fitness and health, is not sufficient to give us clear guidelines about the optimum combination of mode, intensity, frequency and duration of activity with respect to health and wellness, or specific health objectives. The purpose of this paper is not only to make Medical Doctors more aware of the value of exercise as a prescription for health promotion and disease prevention, as well as for the treatment of some chronic degenerative diseases, but also to highlight the present lack of knowledge in the field of exercise and health, and to give a new perspective on an active lifestyle, fitness and health. Practical guidelines will be given for the use of exercise in the treatment of commonly encountered disorders in general practice.