About Fitness
• Weight
training improves strength,
endurance, metabolism, and heart
function. It can help prevent or manage chronic
conditions, such as low-back pain and diabetes. Weight
training is good for people who find aerobics tough, such as
the elderly.
Circulation
• Fitness as a teenager may help women prevent osteoporosis later in life. This study looked at whether women between the ages of 19 and 21 played high-impact sports in junior high and high school. These types of sports included basketball and tennis. Those who did play had much higher bone density than those who did not.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
• Fitness activities can lower an older adult's risk of falling. A review of studies found that men and women ages 60 and older can lower their risk for falls by joining a fitness program. Fitness can include balance training, such as tai chi, and strength training.
British Journal of Sports Medicine