How physical activity can improve overall health and personal development Benefits of physical activity The benefits of physical exercise go far beyond weight management. Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of several diseases and health conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems. Heart Disease and Stroke Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening the heart muscle, lowering blood pressure, and increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (good cholesterol). ) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow and increasing the heart's working capacity. Optimizing each of these factors may provide additional benefits by reducing the risk of peripheral vascular disease. High blood pressure. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity reduces body fat, which is associated with hypertension. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes By reducing body fat, physical activity can help prevent and control this type of diabetes. Obesity Physical activity helps reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases. Back Pain By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps prevent back pain. Osteoporosis Regular weight - Exercise promotes bone formation and can prevent many forms of associated bone loss to aging. Disability. Running and aerobic exercise have been shown to delay the development of disability in older adults. Managing Stress and Anxiety Exercise can serve as an effective tranquilizer. Studies in adults indicate that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise reduces muscle tension as much as a dose of 400 mg or... half of paper... without forces'). theory (the excitement and thrill resulting from physical activity satisfy the increased need for stimulation). • boredom theory (sport provides an alternative to fill empty time and, by participating in physical activities, the child is too tired and too busy to have energy left for delinquent behavior). Character Development Athletic competition does not appear to promote character development; instead, there are some studies that suggest that individuals with athletic experience have worse attitudes toward fair play. Socially desirable behaviors such as friendliness, generosity, and cooperation are inconsistent with physical activities that emphasize winning. However, physical activity may have the potential for personal growth in qualities including perseverance, deeper self-confidence, commitment and motivation, and may increase resourcefulness. This is probably more true for non-competitive physical activities than for team competitions. http://www.pulsus.com/Paeds/07_05/niem_ed.htm http://diabetes.about.com/cs/exercise/l/blNIHweightexer.htm