Exercise & Healthy Aging: 5 Myths
Posted on December 1, 2013 by bob in Features
Physical activity is a top contributor to longevity and health in later years. With the aging of Baby Boomers, more attention is being paid 
to understanding how exercise can help reduce the toll of chronic illness on the health of seniors and on the financial health of our long-term care system. New research has shed light on some common misperceptions about exercise. Here are five myths—and the real facts — to help us design our own optimal exercise plan.
Myth #1: Exercise only benefits the body.
Exercise benefits our hearts, muscles and bones, and reduces the risk of an array of health problems, from diabetes to kidney disease to 
arthritis. Many people are unaware another very important organ—the brain—is also damaged by inactivity. “Brain fitness games” and special computer programs are designed to build up the mind and memory. Exercising muscles is equally important when it comes to protecting brain health, as it strengthens connections in the brain and lessens the damaging effects of stress and depression.
A study by the American Heart Association used brain imagery to demonstrate that exercise lessens the brain damage caused by stroke and diabetes. Another imaging study by the Radiological Society of North America shows exercise slows shrinkage of the brain as we age.
“Our initial results,” said Dr. Cyrus Raji, “shows brain aging can be alleviated through an active lifestyle.”
He also noted activities that simultaneously engage both mind and body may be especially beneficial.
Myth #2: Your age determines your optimum fitness routine.
With very few exceptions, gerontologists say older adults benefit from adding more physical activity to their lives. But the appropriate type and intensity of exercise varies from individual to individual, more so than when we were younger. Some of us are fortunate to have a combination of genes, lifestyle history and luck that allow us to continue an exercise program that matches or exceeds the activities of our younger years. For others, a modified, low-intensity physical activity prescription is recommended. It’s important to discuss any exercise plan with your healthcare provider to be sure all activities are both safe and beneficial.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends that no matter what the intensity level of a person’s workout, it should include aerobic, strengthening and flexibility components, as well as exercises that improve balance. Bicycling, dancing, walking the dog, working out on adaptive equipment at the gym, chair exercises, even playing some active video games can provide a good workout, depending on our needs.
Myth #3: Running is better exercise than walking.
For weight loss, running has been found to be more effective than walking, but losing weight is not the only reason to be physically active.
Last month in its journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, the American Heart Association reported that moderately paced walking is just as effective in reducing blood pressure, cholesterol levels and the risk for diabetes and heart disease. Data from 33,000 runners and 16,000 walkers was collected over the course of six years. The study compared the benefits by the distance people covered, not by the amount of time the workout took, and found that whether people walk or run, they gain similar health benefits over the same distance.
“The more the runners ran and the more the walkers walked,” said principal author Dr. Paul T. Williams, “the better off they were in health benefits. If the amount of energy expended was the same between the two groups, then the health benefits were comparable.”
Myth #4: Exercise must be scheduled and structured.
Sporadic, occasional activities like a hike every couple of weeks don’t provide the same benefit as regular, frequent exercise. However, recent research suggests your daily exercise goals needn’t be achieved during a single time period, nor do you need a strict routine.
Oregon State University researchers recently reported that small amounts of activity—as small as one- and two-minute increments that add up to 30 minutes per day—can be as beneficial as longer bouts of activity in the gym.
“Our results suggest that engaging in an active lifestyle approach, compared to a structured exercise approach, may be just as beneficial,” said lead author Paul Loprinzi. “Seek out opportunities to be active when the choice is available. For example, rather than sitting while talking on the phone, use this opportunity to get in some activity by pacing around.”
Myth #5: Baby Boomers are the most physically fit generation ever.
Baby Boomers – the large number of Americans born between 1946 and 1964 – have a reputation as being very fitness-conscious. The stereotypical Boomer goes running every day, works out at the gym, and has a personal trainer. Contrary to this image, recent research suggests Boomers are actually in worse health than their parents.
In the March 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, West Virginia University researchers reported that Boomers have a higher rate of poor health and disabilities than did their parents’ generation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even predict a decline in life expectancy as obesity leads to an increased rate of hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and chronic disease. What is responsible for this startling trend?
Only 18 percent of Boomers get the recommended daily amount of exercise, and we now know that even people who exercise regularly experience a decline in health when they spend most of the rest of the day sitting. Our bodies did not evolve to spend hour upon hour in a chair or on a couch—yet today’s culture, more than ever, finds many of us at a desk for eight hours or more, sitting down all day, e-mailing our office mates rather than walking down the hall. Even our leisure hours are often spent engaged in sedentary activities with a variety of electronic entertainment devices. Despite their image of active senior living, Boomers shouldn’t rest on their laurels—or their recliners.
Follow a regular exercise program and be sure to engage in regular small amounts of activity throughout the day.
RESOURCES
– National Institute on Aging (NIA) —
www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication
– American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons —
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
