The active grandparent hypothesis: Physical activity and the evolution of extended human healthspans and lifespans

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (50) ◽  
pp. e2107621118
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Lieberman ◽  
Timothy M. Kistner ◽  
Daniel Richard ◽  
I-Min Lee ◽  
Aaron L. Baggish
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Energy Allocation ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Proximate Mechanisms ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Selection For

The proximate mechanisms by which physical activity (PA) slows senescence and decreases morbidity and mortality have been extensively documented. However, we lack an ultimate, evolutionary explanation for why lifelong PA, particularly during middle and older age, promotes health. As the growing worldwide epidemic of physical inactivity accelerates the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases among aging populations, integrating evolutionary and biomedical perspectives can foster new insights into how and why lifelong PA helps preserve health and extend lifespans. Building on previous life-history research, we assess the evidence that humans were selected not just to live several decades after they cease reproducing but also to be moderately physically active during those postreproductive years. We next review the longstanding hypothesis that PA promotes health by allocating energy away from potentially harmful overinvestments in fat storage and reproductive tissues and propose the novel hypothesis that PA also stimulates energy allocation toward repair and maintenance processes. We hypothesize that selection in humans for lifelong PA, including during postreproductive years to provision offspring, promoted selection for both energy allocation pathways which synergistically slow senescence and reduce vulnerability to many forms of chronic diseases. As a result, extended human healthspans and lifespans are both a cause and an effect of habitual PA, helping explain why lack of lifelong PA in humans can increase disease risk and reduce longevity.

Pre-eminence of Moderate to Robust Physical Activity in Battling COVID-19: A Narrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 934-937
Author(s):  
Tasneem M. Lakkadsha ◽  
Kiran Kumar ◽  
Waqar M. Naqvi ◽  
Pratik Phansopkar
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
The Other ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Corona Virus ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Being There ◽  
History Books

In January 2020, we met with COVID-19 (aka SARS-Co-V-2 and/or Corona virus) on our news channels all the way from china. Little did we know that it would shake up our lives in such a manner that we had heard only in a movie or read in history books. Currently we are all in some sort of lockdown, be it in hospital/home or in our minds. Being there, most of us are facing certain kind of misery, be it emotional, mental, physical or social. To be expansive the most common stresses that have been addressed by people on mass media platform are feeling of depression and isolation caused by being away from family and friends, some are complaining of losing their enthusiasm, some of gaining weight, some of losing it and many more. Going through a pandemic is also helping people in some or the other way, one of which is being concerned about their health and habits to keep themselves fit and away from serious comorbidities which can stem out from physical inactivity and heightened stress levels. There are many ways to stay fit at home without any complex gym equipment, but far less is known about it. Thus, an understanding of methods through which one can become physically active with least complexity, easy availability, and appropriate utilization is need of the hour.

scholarly journals Habitual physical activity is not associated with lower cardiovascular risk profile or higher aerobic fitness

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Denis Fabrício Valério ◽  
Arthur Fernandes Gáspari ◽  
Giovana Vergínea de Souza ◽  
Cleiton Augusto Libardi ◽  
Claudia Regina Cavaglieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Aerobic Fitness ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease Risk ◽  
Risk Profile ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Profile ◽  
Vo2 Max

Introduction: Physical inactivity is considered as one of the factors to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and decrease aerobic fitness mainly in middle-age. Increased habitual physical activity (HPA) is one of the strategies recommended to reduce physical inactivity. However, it is not known whether middle-age individuals who exclusively perform greater amount of HPA have greater aerobic fitness and / or a lower risk of CVDs. Objective: Verify the association between HPA with the risk of CVDs and aerobic fitness in individuals who only perform HPA. Method: We selected 89 male volunteers, age: 47.4 ± 5.06 years, who did not practice systemized physical training. Our measurements were: HPA by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Baecke questionnaires, the aerobic fitness by direct assessment of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 máx) and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by the score calculation of General Cardiovascular Risk Profile from Framingham Study. Results: There was no correlation of the HPA level with cardiovascular risk factors, general cardiovascular disease risk and VO2 máx. Moreover, no difference was found between the categorical groups of the IPAQ questionnaire and between the groups, “clusters”, calculated from the Baecke questionnaire scores for the variables of cardiovascular risk, general cardiovascular disease risk and VO2 máx. Conclusion: This study have found that the HPA level of middle-aged men is not associated with lower cardiovascular risk profile or higher aerobic fitness, suggesting that only increase HPA may not be enough to promote beneficial adaptations in aerobic fitness and improve risk profile for CVDs. These results may be related to low volume and intensity of HPA, which reinforces the importance of performing physical training with control of these variables for health promotion.

scholarly journals Fundamental questions about genes, inactivity, and chronic diseases

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank W. Booth ◽  
Simon J. Lees
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Gene Interaction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Metabolic Dysfunction ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Early Disease Detection ◽  
Artery Disease

Currently our society is faced with the challenge of understanding the biological basis for the epidemics of obesity and many chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes. Physical inactivity increases the relative risk of coronary artery disease by 45%, stroke by 60%, hypertension by 30%, and osteoporosis by 59%. Moreover, physical inactivity is cited as an actual cause of chronic disease by the US Centers of Disease Control. Physical activity was obligatory for survival for the Homo genus for hundreds of thousands of years. This review will present evidence that suggests that metabolic pathways selected during the evolution of the human genome are inevitably linked to physical activity. Furthermore, as with many other environmental interactions, cycles of physical activity and inactivity interact with genes resulting in a functional outcome appropriate for the environment. However, as humans are less physically active, there is a maladaptive response that leads to metabolic dysfunction and many chronic diseases. How and why these interactions occur are fundamental questions in biology. Finally, a perspective to future research in physical inactivity-gene interaction is presented. This information is necessary to provide the molecular evidence required to further promote the primary prevention of chronic diseases through physical activity, identify those molecules that will allow early disease detection, and provide society with the molecular information needed to counter the current strategy of adding physical inactivity into our lives.

scholarly journals Sedentary Death Syndrome

2004 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon J. Lees ◽  
Frank W. Booth
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Active Controls

Sedentary death syndrome (SeDS) is a major public health burden due to its causing multiple chronic diseases and millions of premature deaths each year. Despite the impact of physical inactivity, very little is known about the actual causes of physical inactivity-induced chronic diseases. It is important to study the mechanisms underlying molecular changes related to physical inactivity in order to better understand the scientific basis of individualized exercise prescription and the rapies for chronic diseases, and to support improved public health efforts by providing molecular proof that physical inactivity is an actual cause of chronic diseases. Physical activity has a genetic basis. A subpopulation of genes, which have functioned to support physical activity for survival through most of humankind's existence, require daily exercise to maintain long-term health and vitality. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an example of a SeDS condition, as it is almost entirely preventable with physical activity. To determine the true role of physical inactivity in the development and progression of T2D, information is presented which indicates that comparisons should be made to physically active controls, rather than sedentary controls, as this population is the healthiest. Use of sedentary subjects as the control group has led to potentially misleading interpretations. If physically active individuals were designated as the control group, a different interpretation would have been drawn. It is thought that there is no difference in GLUT4 concentration between T2D and sedentary groups. However, GLUT4 expression is higher in active controls than in sedentary and T2D groups. Therefore, to obtain causal mechanisms for SeDS in order to allow for scientifically based prevention and therapy strategies, physically active subjects must serve as the control group. Key words: physical inactivity, chronic diseases, diabetes, glucose

scholarly journals Physical Activity and Associated Socioeconomic Determinants in Rural and Urban Tanzania: Results from the 2012 WHO-STEPS Survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredirick L. Mashili ◽  
Gibson B. Kagaruki ◽  
Joseph Mbatia ◽  
Alphoncina Nanai ◽  
Grace Saguti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Steps Survey

Background. Physical inactivity contributes to the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Given the rapidly increasing prevalence of NCDs in Low-Income Countries (LICs), comprehensive evaluation and documentation of physical activity (PA) status in this setting are crucial. Methods. We examined the demographic and social-economic antecedents of PA among adults (5398) from the 2012 Tanzania STEPS survey data. Statistical significance at the level of 0.05 was used to measure the strength of associations. Results. Majority of study participants attained the WHO-recommended levels of physical activity (96.7%). Levels were higher among those living in rural than in urban settings (98% versus 92%,  p<0.0001) and generally, urban residency, female gender, higher education achievement, and employment were significantly associated with low levels of PA. Participation in the different domains of PA (work, transport, and recreational) varied with living setting, levels of education, and employment status. Conclusion. These results describe PA status and associated social-economic determinants among adults in rural and urban Tanzania. The findings contribute to the growing evidence that implicates urbanization as a key driver for the growing prevalence of physical inactivity in LICs and underscore the need for tailored PA interventions based on demography and social-economic factors.

scholarly journals Exploring Faculty and Staff PA Barriers at a Large University

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhibha M. Das ◽  
Anna I. Rinaldi-Miles ◽  
Ellen M. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Nominal Group Technique ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
University Employees ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

Introduction: Physical inactivity is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Worksites provide an ideal environment for physical activity (PA) interventions. The aim was to use the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to examine university employees’ perceptions of worksite PA barriers and benefits. Methods: A focus group using the NGT and the Health Belief Model was conducted to assess employees’ perceived susceptibility of physical inactivity, perceptions of barriers and benefits to PA, and cues to action. Results: Findings showed university employees experienced similar barriers to PA as employees in other sectors, including lack of time and knowledge. Participants reported unique benefits to being physical active, notably being physically active allowed them to maintain demanding professional and personal lifestyles. Discussion: Results imply university employees experienced benefits to PA consistent with other worksite populations; the surprising benefits of PA for this population are strong motivators and would provide an excellent basis for interventions. Results also indicate although university employees face similar barriers to PA as other worksites, the unique barriers for this worksite should be the focus for worksite programs for this population. Similarly to the benefits, the unique barriers of this population should influence development of interventions to promote PA on campuses.

Epidemiological evidence for the role of physical activity in reducing risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

2005 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 1193-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari S. Bassuk ◽  
JoAnn E. Manson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Atherogenic Dyslipidemia ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Physically Active

Epidemiological studies suggest that physically active individuals have a 30–50% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than do sedentary persons and that physical activity confers a similar risk reduction for coronary heart disease. Risk reductions are observed with as little as 30 min of moderate-intensity activity per day. Protective mechanisms of physical activity include the regulation of body weight; the reduction of insulin resistance, hypertension, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and inflammation; and the enhancement of insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and fibrinolytic and endothelial function. Public health initiatives promoting moderate increases in physical activity may offer the best balance between efficacy and feasibility to improve metabolic and cardiovascular health in largely sedentary populations.

scholarly journals Physical Activity and Telomere Biology: Exploring the Link with Aging-Related Disease Prevention

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew T. Ludlow ◽  
Stephen M. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Replicative Senescence ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Related Disease ◽  
Age Related ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Telomere Biology

Physical activity is associated with reduced risk of several age-related diseases as well as with increased longevity in both rodents and humans. Though these associations are well established, evidence of the molecular and cellular factors associated with reduced disease risk and increased longevity resulting from physical activity is sparse. A long-standing hypothesis of aging is the telomere hypothesis: as a cell divides, telomeres shorten resulting eventually in replicative senescence and an aged phenotype. Several reports have recently associated telomeres and telomere-related proteins to diseases associated with physical inactivity and aging including cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and hypertension. Interestingly several reports have also shown that longer telomeres are associated with higher physical activity levels, indicating a potential mechanistic link between physical activity, reduced age-related disease risk, and longevity. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the potential importance of physical activity in telomere biology in the context of inactivity- and age-related diseases. A secondary purpose is to explore potential mechanisms and important avenues for future research in the field of telomeres and diseases associated with physical inactivity and aging.

Results From Malaysia’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (s2) ◽  
pp. S201-S205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razinah Sharif ◽  
Kar Hau Chong ◽  
Nur Hadiyani Zakaria ◽  
Min Li Ong ◽  
John J. Reilly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Report Card ◽  
Active Transportation ◽  
Active Commuting ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Research Working Group

Background:The 2016 Malaysia Active Healthy Kids Report Card aims to collect, assess, and grade current and comprehensive data on physical activity (PA) and associated factors in Malaysian children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years.Methods:This report card was developed following the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card protocol. The Research Working Group identified the core matrices, assessed the key data sources, and evaluated the evidence gathered for grade assignments. A grade was assigned to each indicator by comparing the best available evidence against relevant benchmark using a standardized grading scheme.Results:Overall Physical Activity, Active Transportation, and Sedentary Behavior were assigned the D grade. The lowest grade of F was assigned to Diet, while School and Government Strategies and Investments were graded higher with a B. Five indicators were assigned INC (incomplete) due to a lack of representative data.Conclusions:The report card demonstrates that Malaysian children and adolescents are engaging in low levels of PA and active commuting, high levels of screen time, and have extremely low compliance with dietary recommendations. More efforts are needed to address the root causes of physical inactivity while increasing the opportunities for children and adolescents to be more physically active.

scholarly journals Physical distancing ≠ physical inactivity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie M Meyer ◽  
Matthew J Landry ◽  
Jeanette Gustat ◽  
Stephenie C Lemon ◽  
Collin A Webster
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Whole Person ◽  
Active Lifestyles ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Exercise Facilities

Abstract During this time of global health crisis, physical distancing, along with mask wearing, has emerged as the sine qua non social practice to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19. But as physical distancing ensues and all eyes remain fixed on the novel coronavirus, another, albeit careworn, pandemic rages on. Physical inactivity, the world’s fourth leading cause of death, may indeed be exacerbated by physical distancing measures, such as sheltering at home and closing or limiting access to recreation and exercise facilities. The purpose of this paper is to urge public health and medical professionals not to forget the importance of physical activity to whole-person health, recognize the importance of physical activity as a potential COVID-19 mitigation strategy and to serve as advocates for promoting active lifestyles. It is imperative that the national call for physical distancing not be interpreted as a call for physical inactivity.

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