Is physical activity essential to good health? Do people who don’t participate in sports or outdoor hobbies, unhealthy? I think that physical activity is important to good health, however it is more than exercising. I don’t think physical activity has to be a sport or outside activity. There are many things people can do to keep healthy. One topic this chapter discusses is physical activity, such as running and long health. Some of their observations include that people who are active during childhood are more likely to keep active through adulthood. This makes sense because for one, physical activity was part of their habit and routine and it was easier to continue throughout their lives. Secondly, presumably they participated in physically active activities because they enjoyed them. When thinking about physical activity and how to continue or keep a good exercise habit, you have to think about your past habits and your current lifestyle. I found it interesting that even if a person was not active when they were young, that becoming active as an adult can still predict a longer life. The Terman study found that being active in middle age was important to longevity. My conclusion from the chapter was that on does not need to be a marathon runner to get benefits of exercise – walking, gardening, and just generally moving is sufficient.
Ancel Keys, who was mentioned in this chapter was a participant in the Terman study and one of the longest living participants, living to be one hundred years old. He was responsible research on cholesterol, fats, and their effect on heart disease. It was interesting to read that his ideas about how high-fat diets can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease and his promotion of diets high in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and unsaturated fats were “met with disbelief”.