Healthy and Fit by the Numbers

Did you know……

According to the National Center for Health Statistics:

  • About 65% of American adults are overweight & obese.
  • 3 out of 4 adults do not exercise despite the knowledge that inactivity is related to heart disease, certain types of cancer, obesity, osteoporosis & frailty in old age.
  • 1 in every 2 women over the age of fifty is at risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture.
  • Being overweight increases the per-person yearly health-care costs by $125, while obesity increases the cost by $395.
  • 70 percent of women and men between the ages of 50 and 74 are overweight, and 30 percent of those are obese.
  • Physical inactivity is estimated to be the main cause for approximately 21–25% of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of ischemic heart disease burden.

And, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation:

  • 1 in every 2 women over the age of fifty is at risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture.
  • Women can lose up to 20 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven years following menopause, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis.
  • Women lose five to seven pounds of muscle each decade.
  • 40% of women between the ages 55-64 can not lift 10 pounds.

And, according to the National Safety Council:

  • Falls are the #1 cause of injury-related deaths in adults over the age of 65.
  • Each year, 1 in every 3 adults age 65 and older experiences a fall.
  • 2/3 of those who experience a fall will fall again within 6 months.
  • In 2010, 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 662,000 of these patients were hospitalized.
  • In 2010, the direct medical costs of falls, adjusted for inflation, was $30.0 billion.

Did you also know……

Doctors recommend you exercise at least 30 minutes a day because:

  • Studies show that for every 1 hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by 2 hours.
  • Walking for as few as 30 minutes a day provides heart health benefits.
  • Physically active people save $500 a year in healthcare costs.
  • Becoming more active can lower your blood pressure by as much as 4 to 9 mm Hg. That's the same reduction in blood pressure delivered by some antihypertensive medications.
  • Reduces coronary heart disease in women by 30-40 percent
  • Reduces risk of stroke by 20 percent in moderately active people and by 27 percent in highly active ones
  • Exercise makes it easier to do common daily tasks, a proven factor in maintaining independence and mobility.
  • No matter what your age, strength exercises will increase bone density, which reduces the likelihood of fractures.
  • According to many studies, socialization through exercise is a deterrent to depression and anxiety.
  • New research in dementia and Alzheimer’s indicates that regular exercise may ward off mental deterioration as well.

To sum it all up, 30 minutes of regular daily participation in physical activity:

  • Improves blood circulation, which reduces the risk of heart disease
  • Keeps weight under control
  • Helps in the battle to quit smoking
  • Improves blood cholesterol levels
  • Prevents and manages high blood pressure
  • Prevents bone loss
  • Boosts energy level
  • Helps manage stress
  • Releases tension
  • Promotes enthusiasm and optimism
  • Counters anxiety and depression
  • Helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly
  • Improves self-image
  • Increases muscle strength, increasing the ability to do other physical activities
  • Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends
  • Reduces the risk of coronary heart disease
  • Reduces risk of stroke
  • Establishes good heart-healthy habits and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke
  • Helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer
  • Reduces the risk of falling

Join an exercise program in your area today! For information on community exercise programs sponsored by Petersen Health Care in your area contact: