ABSTRACT
In 2008, the US Department of Health and Human Services released its Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Physical Fitness is “the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and to meet unforeseen emergencies”. Proper physical activity can help develop and maintain a healthy body weight and cardiometabolic risk profile, can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and can instill positive habits that may carry over into adulthood. Among older adults, proper physical activity can increase and maintain physical function, improve and maintain body composition, promote psychological and cognitive well-being, and assist in primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases. Whether currently undergoing treatment or in remission, regular physical activity can yield both physiological and psychological benefits for most cancer patients. Depending on type and extent of disability, proper physical activity may improve physical fitness and functional abilities and may reduce a person’s risk for cardiometabolic diseases.
