2012-02-01
Stanford
physical exercise impacts all those negative things
VO2Max: maximum oxygen consumption
you have a lot of control over how fit you will be
probably not working that hard
there is a threshold of disability in sedentary life, where you can’t take care of yourself
they are having trouble keeping up their training as they age
you have to do it throughout your life
you have to tease out what’s detraining and what’s aging
more women end up in the threshold of disability
you can control your own environment
bad news, all components fail with age
good news, many can be slowed
similar amount of improvement in old as in young about 20-30 increase
max heartrate can’t be reversed
“I don’t now consider myself to be old.”
approx 8% decline in strength per decade after 45yo
different types of fibers in the muscles
if you aren’t using the fibers they won’t reinverate and will disappear
younger people are more likely to catch themselves after a trip and not fall
once again, regular physical exercise can fix the decrements
you get benefit at any age from exercise
causes increase in spontaneous activity levels
there is a spiraling up naturally
nothing so far has proven as effective at reversing muscle loss as resistance training
“A question out of contex is hard to answer.”
there seems to be a break point around 70-80yo
self-chosen walk pace declines
hard to separate out biological aging and biobehavioral (mind-body changes)
there is a pretty consistent fall off in older age range
throughout the lifespan there are substantial benefits, even when you are old
there are a handful of contraindications to exercise, like a brain aneurism
you are very agile so you can adjust really quickly
the world population has been getting heavier
excess body fat is associated with a variety of problems
these numbers of exercise vs sedentary has not changed in the last 50 years
“Everything is getting easier and we are engineering exercise of our lives.”
labor saving devices add up over time
wash dishes by hand, walk .8miles to work instead of driving, take stairs instead of elevator; 111kcal per day extra used
10 calories extra per day equals a pound of fat a year
your body is really good at maintaining your body weight
small changes can make a big difference
if you could take exercise in a pill, you probably would
physical activity can reduce mobility and health when you overdo it
Changes in cognitive function are impacted by physical activity
“Surprise surprise, they’re connected.”
“Broad and specific effects.”
taking that hour you would be on your computer and walking in the woods had the most effect
more fit and active kids have higher test scores
new blood vessels and new neurons in the brain
increasing activity increases the blood flow to the brain
“They are trying to tease apart that problem.”
the investment hypothesis, compounding value
it’s best to start early, but you still get benefit from any time
“I’m not a behavioralist.”
book: switch – by chip and dan heath, elephant and rider and following the path
path, integrate movement into lives, change the environment
elephant, find creative, fun ways to move
“Integrate movement into your life.”
intermittent lifestyle exercise can be as effective when looking at health related outcomes as intense but sedentary the rest of the time
the numbers of deaths is greatly reduced even bumping up the activity a little
1974 vs 2000, 66% vs 13% that walked or biked to school
interrupting sitting may help
“emerging area of research”
standing is 20% more energy than sitting; walking is 300% more
“This idea is really catching on.”
“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”
“You can’t force the elephant.”
“They were inspired to pedal harder.”
“Fun can obviously change behavior for the better.”
“Not just fun though, but tying it to something you are passionate about.”
“You get a dollar off your smoothie if you use pedal power to run the blender.”
the biological age of the cell was younger in the twin that exercised
resistance exercise makes DNA processes and repair in older muscle looked younger, especially in mitochondria
combined impact of positive health behaviors equivalent to 14 years younger
“Mitochondria degeneration is one of the theories associated with aging.”
“Don’t over-interpret this because this is a specialized model.”
“the exercise pill”, it tricks the body into thinking they have been exercising
there is a lot more to physical activity that is not pure endurance
“There’s a test already for that drug, so don’t take it.”
“Progress is going forward anyway.”
we need to find creative ways to get people to move