Exercise Creates Health Miracles

Exercise Creates Health Miracles

The experiences and lessons from developed countries have taught us that if we want to achieve maximum health benefits for the population with minimal investment, prevention is the key. Taking the United States as an example, in the first 50 years of the 20th century, the US government's emphasis on treatment and care at the expense of prevention resulted in a tenfold increase in healthcare expenditure. However, the nation's health did not improve as expected. In 1979, the US Department of Health and Human Services highlighted in the book "Healthy People" that "if a country wishes to enhance the health of its citizens, the most crucial task is to concentrate medical and social resources on disease prevention." The book proclaimed that "the era of prevention has arrived, and our current scientific knowledge is sufficient to offer sound recommendations for improving health."

Between 1961 and 1981, the proportion of Americans regularly participating in sports activities increased from 25% to 50%. An extensive survey conducted in 1982 revealed that there were as many as thirteen sports activities with over 25 million participants, including swimming, cycling, fishing, camping, rowing, bowling, fitness, running, roller skating, darts, softball, and basketball.

In the 1990s, the US Department of Health and Human Services established four objectives:

Increase participation in sports activities: Over 90% of young people should engage in activities that improve cardiovascular function; over 60% of adults aged 18 to 65 should participate in sports activities; and 50% of individuals aged 65 and above should engage in sports activities.

Enhance awareness of the benefits of physical activity: Over 70% of the population should recognize which sports activities effectively improve cardiovascular function and have a proper understanding of exercise duration and intensity.

Encourage corporate fitness initiatives: Companies with more than 500 employees should implement measures to ensure that 25% of their workforce can participate in fitness activities within the workplace.

Improve physical fitness assessment and monitoring systems: Establish systematic methods for assessing the physical fitness of young people, with at least 70% of them undergoing fitness evaluations.

Let's examine another set of data:

In the 1970s, over 20% of Americans were overweight, and deaths from cardiovascular diseases accounted for 50% of total mortality. Faced with this alarming situation, the American population turned to sports activities as a means to burn calories, reduce obesity, and protect their hearts. The results of this initiative were strikingly evident. The incidence of coronary heart disease in the United States decreased by 8.7% compared to the 1940s, accompanied by a 7% decline in mortality rates. This downward trend has persisted ever since, showcasing the long-lasting benefits of exercise on public health.