Topic 4, DQ 1
The benefits of exercise extend far beyond weight management. Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce your risk for several diseases and health conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems. * Heart Disease and Stroke: Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity. Optimizing each of these factors can provide additional benefits of decreasing the risk for Peripheral Vascular Disease

* High Blood Pressure: Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity reduces body fat, which is associated with high blood pressure.

* Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for the past 80 years and is a major cause of disability.
Nearly 1 in 3 deaths in the U.S. each year is caused by heart disease and stroke. At least 200,000 of these deaths could have been prevented through changes in health habits, such as stopping smoking, more physical activity, and less salt in the diet; community changes to create healthier living spaces, such as smoke-free areas and safe places to exercise; and managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
People of all ages, genders, and ethnicities are at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, certain populations, including African Americans, are at higher risk than others. The good