THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier

Helps protect you from developing heart disease and stroke or its precursors, high blood pressure and undesirable blood lipid patterns

Helps protect you from developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial (uterine lining) cancer

Helps prevent type 2 diabetes (what was once called adult-onset diabetes) and metabolic syndrome (a constellation of risk factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes.

Helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis

Reduces the risk of falling and improves cognitive function among older adults

Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood

Prevents weight gain, promotes weight loss (when combined with a lower-calorie diet), and helps keep weight off after weight loss

Improves heart-lung and muscle fitness

Improves sleep