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Article: Physical activity: how much is enough?(includes related article)(Research Update)
- Article from:
- Parks & Recreation
- Article date:
- August 1, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 National Recreation and Park Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Regular physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. It offers protection against coronary heart disease (CHD), adult-onset diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, osteoporosis, and depression (American College of Sports Medicine and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993). The American Heart Association now includes physical inactivity as a major risk factor for CHD (1994). Despite the recognized benefits of regular physical activity, only 22 percent of the adult population in this country engages in light to moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day; approximately 25 percent of the adult population is sedentary ...