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Regular physical activity is the key to optimal health at any age. May is Women's Health Month. Read on to learn how exercise affects women's health at every stage of life.
youth
Goal: Focus on enjoyable physical activities to boost mood and confidence.
Only 27% of students get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity all 7 days a week (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). In addition to improving physical fitness, regular physical activity can positively impact adolescents' emotional health. Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million Americans each year and occur most commonly in 13- to 17-year-olds (Merikangas et al., 2010). While anxiety disorders occur in both genders, girls are disproportionately affected in their teenage years. Regular physical activity increases self-esteem, improves mood, and promotes healthy body image in adolescent women. Parents and caregivers of teenage girls should encourage activities that are fun and self-selected. In addition, physical activity at this stage of life should emphasize well-being and healthy lifestyle behavior over weight loss.
Fitness in your 20s
Goal: Focus on developing healthy habits to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
The young adult years are a time for personal and professional growth. The demands of perhaps completing college, building a career, and maintaining evolving personal relationships can make it difficult to eat well and exercise regularly. Thinking about long-term health isn't necessarily at the top of the to-do list for the average twenty-something, but researchers at Northwestern University believe it should be. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study followed more than 3,000 subjects. The participants were between 18 and 30 years old at the start of the study. The researchers found that participants who had high levels of physical activity combined with other positive health behaviors, such as: E.g., no to moderate alcohol consumption, a healthy diet, and never smoking, had significantly lower cardiovascular disease risk profiles by middle age (Liu et al., 2012).
Fitness in your 30s
Goal: Focus on regular physical activity to promote bone health.
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and is a leading cause of bone fractures in women over 50 years of age (National Institute of Health on Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases, National Resource Center, 2015). While osteoporosis is usually not diagnosed until the fifth or sixth decade of life, bone loss and disease progression begin much earlier. Bone mass peaks around age 30; At this age, bone resorption – the process of bone demineralization – begins to exceed new bone formation. This leads to bone loss over time. Women in their 30s should include physical activities that promote bone health. When selecting exercises, load is of utmost importance to build and maintain healthy bones. Here are some tips for choosing the right types of exercise:
- Nehmen Sie Krafttraining in Ihr Trainingsprogramm auf. Schwerere Gewichte sind für die Knochengesundheit besser als für leichtere.
- Achten Sie bei der Auswahl von Aerobic-Aktivitäten darauf, dass Sie an mehreren Tagen pro Woche Aktivitäten wie Treppensteigen und Tanzen tragen. Aktivitäten mit geringen Auswirkungen wie Indoor-Radfahren und Schwimmen sind ideal, um die Fitness zu verbessern. Sie helfen Ihnen jedoch nicht dabei, stärkere Knochen im gleichen Maße aufzubauen wie beim Training mit Gewicht. Wenn möglich, schließen Sie starke Aerobic-Übungen wie Joggen und Tennis ein.
- Wenden Sie das Prinzip der fortschreitenden Überlastung zum weiteren Schutz an. Erhöhen Sie im Laufe der Zeit die Belastung und Intensität Ihres Trainings, um die Knochengesundheit und die Muskelfitness weiter zu verbessern.
Fitness in your 40s
Goal: Avoid age-related muscle loss by performing resistance exercises.
Sarcopenia – the loss of muscle mass and strength – begins around age 40 and decreases at a rate of 5 pounds per decade. Decreased muscle mass can reduce functional ability, lead to unwanted weight gain, and often lead to muscle imbalances associated with low back pain and other musculoskeletal abnormalities. Fortunately, you are not powerless in the fight against muscle loss. A cross-sectional study examined recreational athletes between the ages of 40 and 81 who trained four to five days per week. Researchers found no significant decrease in strength with age and no loss of total muscle mass (Wroblewski et al., 2011). This study was one of the first to show that losses in muscle mass previously attributed to aging may actually be due to lack of use. It seems that the old adage – use it or lose it – is true in this case.
Fitness in your 50s
Goal: Exercise to maintain optimal health during menopause.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability for men and women in the United States (Benjamin, 2017). However, after menopause, a woman's risk of developing heart disease and having a heart attack increases dramatically. Researchers are not entirely sure why this happens, but believe it is related to a decrease in estrogen levels (American Heart Association, 2015). Many women reduce their activity during menopause, but maintaining an active lifestyle can help women achieve optimal health during this phase of life. Not only does exercise provide protection against cardiovascular disease, but it can also help ease menopause symptoms.
Fitness in your 60s
Goal: Keep moving to avoid falls.
One in four people over 65 experience a fall every year. Among older adults, women fall more often than men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). As we age, the systems that help us maintain balance lose some of their function. Our reaction time also slows down, making it harder for us to catch ourselves and prevent a fall when we stumble. Taking care of our eyes, wearing proper footwear, and avoiding tripping hazards are important measures to prevent falls.Balance trainingshould be included in all exercise programs for people over 65 years of age to reduce the risk of falls.
Fitness in your 70s, 80s and beyond
Goal: It's never too late to start training.
Maybe your relationship with exercise has changed over the years. Or maybe you've never really had a good relationship with exercise. If this is you, here's some good news: It's never too late to start exercising. For people in their 70s and 80s, exercise can help mitigate declines in functioning. The disability threshold at which people begin to have problems with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing is often reached as we approach our late 70s and early 80s. However, this can be delayed by maintaining an active lifestyle. Training programs with movement patterns that mimic activities of daily living should be a priority this season of life.
Exercise has a positive effect on health at every stage of life. Whether you're 19 or 99, make sure exercise is a priority.
Want to learn more about women's health and fitness? Check out our online women's health courses.
References
American Heart Association. (2015). Menopause and heart disease.
Benjamin, E. et al. (2017). Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2017 Update: A Report from the American Heart Association.Traffic,135, 10, e146e603.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Physical education and physical activity.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Be prepared for falls.
Liu, K.. et al. (2012). Healthy lifestyle through young adulthood and presence of a low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age: The evolution of coronary artery risk in (young) adult (CARDIA) studies.Traffic,125, 8, 9961004.
Merikangas, KR et al. (2010). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in US adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication – Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A).Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry49, 10, 980 - 989.
National Institute of Health for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. (2015). Once is Enough: A Guide to Preventing Future Fractures.
Wroblewski, AP. et al. (2011). Chronic training preserves muscle mass in masters athletes.The doctor and sports medicine,39, 3, 172178.