![]() ![]() Importantly, these health benefits appear to cover a wide range of medical conditions including mental health and wellness. ![]() These findings have been supported by various recent epidemiological studies. The level of activity required for health benefits was far below many current national and international physical activity recommendations. Importantly, we demonstrated that “simply moving more led to significant health benefits”. This systematic review also revealed that no minimal threshold existed for these health benefits. In the vast majority of the studies, there was a non-linear relationship, with the greatest relative health benefits seen with relatively minor changes in physical activity participation in inactive individuals. In a recent systematic review of systematic reviews of the literature, we revealed compelling data (from millions of participants) that routine physical activity was associated in dose-dependent fashion with a reduced risk for diverse health outcomes (such as cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, all-cancer mortality, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, colon cancer, gestational diabetes, gallstone disease, ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, and self-reported health status). Larger risk reductions are generally observed when objective markers of aerobic fitness are considered. There are well-established dose–response relationships between physical activity and health with consistent 20–30% risk reductions for premature mortality and several chronic medical conditions. Regular physical activity and/or exercise participation is thought to be of benefit for more than 25 chronic medical conditions. Numerous systematic reviews of the literature have supported the importance of routine physical activity and/or exercise participation for the primary and secondary prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system (in particular) and many other chronic medical conditions. We advocate for a strengths-based approach to health and wellness promotion that builds upon the innate strengths and aspirations of individuals, families, and communities. In this Editorial, we argue how this deficits-based approach to physical activity promotion may actually lead to unintended and undesirable results with respect to health and wellness at the individual, family, community, and societal levels. Moreover, generic recommendations are often provided that fail to take into account the unique attributes of each individual. Often, the negative health effects of physical inactivity are emphasized strongly to support the need for routine physical activity. Concurrent with these guidelines and recommendations are often statements regarding the health perils associated with being physically inactive. ![]() Various national and international organizations have provided physical activity recommendations across the lifespan, including recommendations for persons living with chronic medical conditions. Virtually everyone can benefit from becoming more physically active. The health benefits of routine physical activity and exercise participation are irrefutable. By taking a strengths-based approach, we can build hope, promoting the positive aspects of routine physical activity and exercise participation and providing a greater opportunity to enhance health and wellbeing for everyone. We advocate a strengths-based approach to health and wellness promotion that focuses on the innate strengths of individuals, families, and communities to enable self-empowerment and self-determination related to health and wellness. In this Editorial, we argue that the current generic and deficits-based messaging misses a great opportunity to focus on the positive and to facilitate hope and real change at the individual, community, and population levels. This deficits-based messaging often includes generic threshold-based recommendations stating that health benefits can only be accrued with specific volumes or intensities of physical activity. Often, this messaging highlights a physical inactivity crisis and the health perils of not engaging in sufficient amounts of physical activity. This messaging has been widely disseminated at regional, national, and international levels. The evidence is overwhelming, demonstrating that nearly everyone can benefit from becoming more physically active. Our special series on Cardiac Rehabilitation outlined the importance of routine physical activity and/or exercise participation in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and many other chronic medical conditions. ![]()
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