Article by the experts: Bushman et al.
The term 'older persons,' as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), encompasses those who are 65 years of age or older, as well as those between the ages of 50 and 64 who have medical conditions or physical limitations that affect their ability to move, their physical fitness, or their physical activity. Within this group of older individuals, there is great diversity in terms of their physical health and physical abilities. While some actively participate in athletic competitions, others are restricted by chronic illnesses or a lack of physical activity. Because of these differences in physical abilities within this age range, responses to exercise can vary considerably, although chronological aging and a lack of physical fitness are often closely related. Unless a way to reverse the aging process is discovered, aging is inevitable; however, promoting physical activity is essential to counteract the effects of age-related aging and promote lifelong health and well-being.
According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 80% of older people have at least one chronic disease, and 77% have at least two conditions, with the most common being heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Regular physical activity has the potential to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure, as well as type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, kidney, lung, and stomach cancers. In addition, maintaining good physical health provides greater resilience when facing health problems; for example, exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programs have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality, and regular exercise can improve many aspects of physical and mental health during cancer treatment.
Beyond simply addressing fiscal issues or extending life expectancy, a consistent physical activity plan has the potential to improve the quality of life. Quality of life encompasses well-being as a whole, including numerous aspects, with the physical aspect being the primary focus of this article. It also includes intellectual or cognitive, vocational, social, spiritual, emotional, and environmental dimensions. Well-being can be conceptualized as the 'ability to understand, accept, and take action based on our capacity to lead an engaged and meaningful life,' and these various dimensions of well-being are intertwined, enabling people to 'seek and make the most of life's opportunities.' A physically active lifestyle can bring benefits to many other areas; for example, regular physical activity can reduce the risk of dementia (affecting the cognitive dimension), provide opportunities to interact with family and peer groups, allow enjoyment of outdoor recreational activities, and improve mood and self-esteem (impacting emotional and professional aspects).
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