ABSTRACT
T he origins of exercise epidemiology date back to the Ancient Greeks, who recommended vigorous physical exercise as treatments for improving mental health and overcoming physical illness (Dishman et al.,
2004). In the mid-1600s, gymnastics was advocated by the Swiss pharmacologist Joseph Duchesne for improving digestion, strengthening the heart and joints, and improving the circulation of blood in the lungs. Exercise was also supported by various scientists and physicians in the 1700s and 1800s. One primary contributor to the development of exercise epidemiology was Thomas K. Cureton, who performed some of the first research studies that examined the relationship between physical activity and health. Many of Dr. Cureton’s students continued this line of research, thereby developing the foundation for exercise epidemiology.
