The impact of active life on health
Studies focusing on our way of life have examined the effects of both inactivity and activity. From medical point of view the positive effects of systematic physical activities have four main groups, that is,
- circulatory and metabolic fitness
- body composition and active way of life
- bone mass
- mental health (Landry and Driscoll, 2012).
Circulatory and metabolic fitness
Several researches have already proved that children who are fit and have stamina later in their adulthood they will have better circulatory indicators, and better body composition means favourable heart and circulatory condition in adulthood as well as lower death rate (Ruiz at al, 2009).
Body composition
It has been known that intensive physical activity has favourable impact on children’s (between 5 and 18 ages) body composition (Parikh and Stratton, 20011). Body fat considerably affects the risk factors of heart and vascular diseases within the 8-10 year age groups compared with 11-13 and 14-16 year age groups (Ondrak at al, 2007).
Bone mass
It is a fact that intensive youth activity positively affects the development of bone mass. The protein and calcium rich diet as well as (axial) activities in the open air (D-vitamin!) help to develop peak bone mass (Vicente-Rodriguez, 2006, Wendy, 2004). According to the outcomes of follow up studies juvenile activities affect adulthood bone mass more considerably than nutrition (Fehily, Coles, Evans and Elwood, 1992).
Mental health
It has been observed that children who are physically active are mentally healthier, have self-esteem and sleep better than their less active contemporaries (Brosnagan at al, 2004, Sund at al, 2011, Lorun at al 2006, Tsang, 2011, Singh, Kogan, Siahpush and van Dyck, 2008).