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Review
. 2022 Oct 17;63(2 Suppl 3):E150-E159.
doi: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.2S3.2756. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Physical activity for health

Kristjana Dhuli  1 , Zakira Naureen  2 , Maria Chiara Medori  1 , Francesco Fioretti  3 , Paola Caruso  4 , Marco Alfonso Perrone  5 , Savina Nodari  3 , Paolo Manganotti  4 , Suela Xhufi  6 , Marsida Bushati  6 , Dhurata Bozo  6 , Stephen Thaddeus Connelly  7 , Karen L Herbst  8 , Matteo Bertelli  1   2   9
Affiliations
Review

Physical activity for health

Kristjana Dhuli et al. J Prev Med Hyg. .

Abstract

Physical activity plays a substantial role in maintaining people's good health and mental wellbeing, but that is not all: not only it positively affects the individuals' mental and physical health, but a lack of physical exercise exerts a negative impact also on the overall economy of a nation. In addition, physical inactivity not only increases the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD), but also contributes significantly to the increased morbidity and mortality in patients suffering from these diseases. On the contrary, physical activity reduces the risk of NCDs - such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer - in a dose-dependent manner; regular exercise is also associated with many health benefits and delayed mortality. However, understanding the role of physical activity in modern society and creating an awareness in the general population is one of the most important tasks of health and recreation promoters. Correspondingly, there is a dire need to enhance our knowledge, perception, and awareness of physical activity and its impacts on an individual's health, ultimately contributing to developing a healthy society. The current review will focus on the health benefits of the two most widely studied modifiable lifestyle risk factors, physical activity and diet, focusing particularly on the Mediterranean diet.

Keywords: Health; Med Diet; Non-communicable diseases; Physical activity.

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