by Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D.
The world is in the grip of an energy crisis.
The rising costs and dwindling supply of fossil fuels get all the press. but from a medical view, the real crisis involves human energy — or to be more specific, the lack of it. In the Philippines and many other countries in the world, it is an important contributor to four of the 10 leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
In all, sedentary living accounts for millions of premature deaths around the world annually. It is estimated that in developed countries, 10 percent of all deaths are caused by sloth, as are about 23 percent of chronic illnesses. It is a staggering burden of illness, death, and expense, and it’s all the more tragic because it’s unnecessary.
The Aerobics Revolution
The scientific study of exercise blossomed in the 1960s and ’70s. Its principal research tool was the maximum oxygen uptake test, which measures the amount of oxygen sucked up by the lungs, pumped by the heart, and delivered to the muscles during maximal exertion on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Improvements in the maximum oxygen uptake, or VO2 max, quickly became the gold standard for judging the efficacy of exercise.
Research in many labs demonstrated that optimal improvement in VO2 max depends on vigorous exercise. The best results come from exercises intense enough to raise the heart rate to 70 percent to 85 percent its maximum, prolonged enough to sustain the intensity for 20 to 60 minutes, and frequent enough to occur three to seven times a week. The aerobics doctrine was born. Remember the mantra then? “No pain, no gain”!
In 1975, the American College of Sports Medicine issued its first exercise guidelines, calling for all healthy adults to exercise at aerobic intensity (60-90 percent of maximum) continuously for 20 to 30 minutes at least three times a week. These standards were soon adopted with only minor modification by the American Heart Association and the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and they remained in effect for more than two decades. The aerobics doctrine inspired the few but discouraged the many. A relatively small number of lucky people discovered the benefits (and pleasures) of aerobic exercise. But based on the data at hand and with best intentions, doctors discouraged people who found aerobics too hard from getting moderate exercise by proclaiming that aerobic intensity was essential for benefit. For example, the Gospel of Aerobics preached that golf was the perfect way to ruin a four-mile walk, but we now know that’s wrong.
Fitness vs. Health
Epidemiological studies did confirm that fit people are healthy people, with reduced risks of coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes, and a reduced mortality rate. These data remain valid: Aerobic training is excellent for fitness and health.
Without contradicting the value of aerobics, new studies show that it is possible to get nearly all the health benefits of exercise without reaching high levels of aerobic fitness. The answer is moderate exercise. In this formulation, intensity is less important than the net amount of exercise, and intermittent exercise is as effective as continuous activity. In fact, golf is very beneficial, indeed, as long as players walk the course and play two to three times a week.
The Benefits Of Moderate Exercise (more…)
October 16th, 2008 
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