Page i The ExerciseHealth Connection David C. Nieman, DrPH Appalachian State University Page ii Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data Nieman, David C., 1950 The exercise health connection / David C. Nieman. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 088011584X 1. Exercise—Popular works. 2. Exercise therapy—Popular works. 3. Health. I. Title. RA781.N54 1997 613.7'1—dc21 9736227 CIP ISBN: 088011584X Copyright © 1998 by David C. Nieman All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. 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Page v CONTENTS Part I 1 Physical Activity, Health, and the Human Booy Chapter 1 3 Physical Activity Components and Health Health and fitness defined 4 Components of healthrelated fitness 6 Exercise guidelines for improving health 16 Chapter 2 21 How the Body Adapts to Exercise Effects of exercise on the body 21 Influence of genetics on aerobic fitness 29 Influence of gender on aerobic fitness 30 Influence of age on aerobic fitness 31 Detraining 33 Part II 37 Physical Activity, Disease, and Disability Chapter 3 39 Coronary Heart Disease • What gives me the greatest risk of developing coronary heart disease? 42 • How does exercise prevent coronary heart disease? 45 • How much exercise is necessary to lower my risk of heart disease? 47 • If I have atherosclerosis, will exercise cure it? 48 • If I have coronary heart disease, will exercise cure it? 50 • Is there a risk of dying of a heart attack during exercise? 52 Chapter 4 57 Cancer • Can I avoid getting cancer if I exercise every day? Is exercise more 60 effective at preventing some cancers than others? Page vi • You've said that regular exercise lowers the risk of getting colon, prostate, 62 breast, and female reproductive cancers. How? • Can exercise help treat cancer once it is formed? 71 Chapter 5 75 Stroke • If I exercise, am I less likely to have a stroke than if I don't exercise? 78 • If physical inactivity isn't a primary risk factor for stroke, why do you say 79 exercise can help prevent strokes? • If I exercise more intensely, does the risk of stroke go down more? 81 • Are the benefits of exercise in reducing stroke risk the same for women as 83 for men? Chapter 6 85 Diabetes • If I exercise, will my chances of developing diabetes be lowered? 92 • My doctor said that because of my weight and poor diet I'm at risk for 95 developing diabetes. What role does physical activity play in this whole mix? • How does exercise affect my insulin and blood glucose levels? 96 • Of what value is regular exercise for the person with insulindependent 96 diabetes? • Are there potential risks for the individual with insulindependent diabetes 97 who initiates an exercise program? • Can I compete in sports if I have insulindependent diabetes? 99 • What does exercise do for people with noninsulindependent diabetes? 100 • Is there a "best" exercise program for people with diabetes? 101 Chapter 7 105 Osteoporosis • Which is the best sporting activity I can undertake to reduce my risk of 111 getting osteoporosis? • How old is too old to benefit from exercise as a way to stop 113 osteoporosis? • I'm taking estrogen to prevent bone loss. If I exercise, can I stop taking the 114 estrogen? Page vii • What type of exercise program is most effective in treating osteoporosis? 115 Chapter 8 119 Arthritis • Can I exercise if I have arthritis? 124 • Can regular exercise keep my arthritis from getting worse? 126 • I've played sports and exercised for years. Has that increased my chances 128 of getting arthritis? Chapter 9 133 Low Back Pain • Is there a way to predict if I'm at risk for developing low back pain? 137 • I never scored very well on the fitness tests I took in school, including the 139 strength and flexibility tests. Is it true that those predict future low back pain? • Is it dangerous to exercise if I have a bad back? 139 • Will exercise help my back get better? 140 Chapter 10 145 Asthma • It seems logical to assume that exercise would trigger asthma attacks. Is 150 that true? • Can exerciseinduced asthma be prevented or controlled? 151 Chapter 11 155 Infection and the Immune System • How does exercise affect my chances of getting a cold? 157 • Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of infection when I'm training 160 hard? • Should I keep exercising if I am sick? 161 • Can HIV be transmitted during sports? 163 • Could exercise delay the development of AIDS in a person who is HIV 166 positive? Chapter 12 169 Cigarette Smoking • Does smoking affect how hard I can exercise? 173 • Will a regular exercise program help me quit smoking? 175 • Will I gain weight if I stop smoking? 176 Page viii • What benefits can I expect from exercising while quitting smoking? 177 Chapter 13 181 Blood Cholesterol • Does exercise specifically improve cholesterol levels, or do cholesterol 187 levels improve as an indirect result of the weight loss and dietary changes that usually accompany an exercise program? • Does exercise affect the cholesterol levels of men and women in the same 189 way? • How long do the benefits of exercise on cholesterol levels last? 190 Chapter 14 193 High Blood Pressure • If I exercise regularly, can I prevent high blood pressure or cure it if I have 198 it? • How long do I have to exercise before I see an improvement in my resting 200 blood pressure? • What type of exercise works best in lowering blood pressure? 200 • How does regular exercise lower the blood pressure? 201 • Is it safe for people with high blood pressure to exercise? 201 Chapter 15 205 Nutritional Habits • What does exercise have to do with the kind of food I eat? 211 • Should the diets of exercisers be any different from the diets of people who 213 don't exercise? • I've heard that bodybuilders and other athletes should eat more protein to 215 build their muscles. Is that true? Chapter 16 217 Sleep • Does exercise make people sleep better? 222 • Does sleep loss impair the ability to exercise? 224 Chapter 17 227 Weight Management • Can regular exercise prevent weight gain during adulthood? 232 Page ix • If I exercise while I diet, will I lose weight faster? 234 • Will exercise cause my body to burn calories for a long time after an 237 exercise session? • I know that my resting metabolism (RMR) gets lower when I diet. Will 238 exercise help my RMR stay higher? • I don't want to lose muscle weight or water weight when I diet. Will 239 exercise help me avoid that? • What are the chief benefits of exercise for weight loss? 239 • I've recently lost weight. How important is exercise in keeping the weight 240 off? Chapter 18 245 Stress Management • Do physically active and fit people have better psychological wellbeing 250 than their sedentary peers? • Can physically fit and active people handle stress better than those who are 252 inactive? • Does regular exercise improve psychological wellbeing and mood? 254 • Can regular exercise alleviate or prevent depression? 255 • Will I feel less tense if I exercise regularly? 257 • Can regular exercise improve selfesteem? 258 • Does regular exercise improve mental alertness and function? 259 • How does physical activity improve psychological health? 259 Part III 263 Physical Activity and the Life Cycle Chapter 19 265 Children and Youth • Should teenagers follow the same activity guidelines recommended for 268 adults? • Do children and youths respond to aerobic exercise programs similarly to 268 adults? • Is it safe for children and youths to lift weights? 269 • Should teenagers have a medical exam before participating in competitive 270 sports? • Does regular physical activity help children and youths avoid obesity? 271 Page x • Are children who exercise at less risk of developing disease? 272 • Are active youths less likely to smoke and drink alcohol than inactive 273 youths? • Will an active child be an active adult? 274 Chapter 20 277 Special Issues for Women • Can women get as fit as men? 279 • Do women and men get the same health benefits from exercise? 280 • Can too much exercise be harmful to women? 281 • Is exercise safe for a pregnant woman and her baby? 283 • Do different phases of the menstrual cycle affect a woman's ability to 285 exercise? • Can exercise help relieve the symptoms of menopause? 286 Chapter 21 289 The Elderly • Is exercise as effective in helping older people stay lean as it is for younger 291 people? • Will a weighttraining program help older people gain strength? 292 • Can aerobic training improve heart and lung fitness even in old age? 293 • Are there any special guidelines for aerobic exercise programs for elderly 295 people? • Do active people live longer? 295 Chapter 22 301 The Benefits of Regular Exercise Index 311 About the Author 317