The Economics of Health and Fitness

Essay by JL6erUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, October 2006

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The human body is a very complex machine. Because it is so complex, taking care of it should be a number one priority. For thousands of years, physical activity has always been associated with health. The two just seem to go hand and hand. Today, science has confirmed the link, with an abundant amount of evidence that people who lead healthy, active lifestyles are much less likely to die at an early age, or experience major illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and any kind of cancer. The problem is most people just don't think that their lifestyle habits are problem, when in many cases, they are. True evidence shows that regular exercise can seriously increase levels of HDL, which is known as the "good" cholesterol, lower high blood pressure, and help improve body composition by burning fat. Exercising also promotes healthy blood sugar levels, promotes strong bone density, boosts the immune system, and greatest of all, speeds up the metabolism.

However, there is no question that it is extremely difficult to change eating, as well as beginning exercise habits.

There are many ways one can develop motivation to have a solid regimen of which to follow. Despite the strong case for staying active, many people find it difficult to adapt their daily lives to incorporate physical activity. With so many people driving cars on a daily basis, for everywhere they go, and the decline in the number of physically active jobs, about 70% of the adult population is sufficiently inactive. This classifies them to be "sedentary". This is not a good thing for your body, at all. Being sedentary increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke, the same amount as if you were to smoke. Its seems, though, the threat of serious illness is often not...