From a public health perspective, physical inactivity or lack of regular exercise is often discussed as being a contributing factor leading to death, disease, or disability. Physical inactivity contributes to the incidence and prevalence of a myriad of chronic illnesses, such as obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
During the prioritization of community health problems, the Healthy Valley 2000 Commission for Community Health was strong in its conviction regarding the importance of a wellness focus. Any lack of wellness, such as the condition of "lack of regular physical exercise," is in itself a health problem and is deserving of the full attention of a community health planning effort.
The consequences of physical inactivity are well documented. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Inactivity and poor diet cause at least 300,000 deaths a year in the United States. Adults who are less active are at a greater risk of dying of heart disease, or developing diabetes, colon cancer, and high blood pressure.
Conversely, the benefits of physical activity on health and disease have been summarized in the 1996 Surgeon General's report. Higher levels of regular physical activity affect the following health areas:
- Increased Overall Lifespan
- Reduced Cardiovascular Disease
- Decreased Risk of Cancer
- Decreased Risk of Diabetes
- Prevention of Osteoporosis
- Reduced Risk of Falling
- Decreased Obesity
- Improved Mental Health
- Improved Health-Related Quality of Life
These benefits are clearly significant for all individuals, and advance the national goal of increasing the healthy life span of all Americans.
- Mahoning County residents will report:
- Improved access for regular physical activity.
- Improved motivation to initiate and sustain regular physical activity.
- Less time spent per day in sedentary activities.
- A decreased prevalence of obesity among both adults and children.
- Reduce coronary heart disease deaths to 100 per 100,000 people.
- Reduce overweight to a prevalence of:
- 20% among people over age 20.
- 15% among adolescents age 12-19.
- Reduce to 15% the proportion of people over age 6 who engage in no leisure-time physical activity.
- Reduce to 90 per 1,000 people the proportion of all people over age 65 who have difficulty performing personal care activities.
- Increase to 30% the proportion of people over age 6 who engage regularly in light to moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day.
- Increase to 20% the proportion of people over age 18 and 75% the proportion of children age 6 -17 who engage in vigorous physical activity more than three days per week, for 20 minutes or more per session.
- Increase to 40% the proportion of people over age 6 who regularly perform physical activities that enhance and maintain muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility.
- Increase to 50% the proportion of overweight people over age 12 who have adopted healthy dietary practices and regular physical activity to attain an appropriate body weight.
- Increase to 50% the proportion of children (grades K-12) who participate in daily school physical education.
- Increase to 50% the proportion of school physical education class time that students spend being physically active.
- Increase the proportion of worksites offering employer-sponsored physical activity and fitness programs.
- Increase community availability and accessibility of physical activity and fitness facilities.
- Increase to at least 50% the proportion of primary care providers who routinely assess and counsel their patients regarding the frequency, duration, type, and intensity of each patient's physical activity.
- Develop and distribute a fitness directory.
- Develop a process for distribution of fitness and exercise materials.
- Increase opportunities for worksite exercise.
- Provide access to safe spaces and facilities for physical activity for all ages.
- Advocate for more community resources to local, state, and national representatives.
- Provide regular public service announcements about fitness with a local perspective utilizing broadcast, print, and cyberspace.
- Encourage good nutrition in community programs that offer food as part of their programming.
- Campaign for healthy food options in all vending machines placed in schools and worksites.
- Increase availability of culturally appropriate health education materials.
- Advocate for daily physical education and comprehensive health education for all school children.
- Develop one-page health education handouts for distribution at primary care locations.
- Make available age-appropriate model curriculum for teachers on nutrition and exercise.
- Involve parents in all aspects of school programming to improve "parent buy in."
- Encourage health care providers to make nutrition and exercise counseling part of all regular office visits.
- Develop partnerships with an exercise focus across groups and generations.
- Encourage sponsorship of regular exercise programming for individuals with compromised functional status.
All Rights Reserved
Powered & Developed by cboss, Inc.