Increasing Sports Resources Does Not Increase Residents' Physical Activity and Won’t Solve All Public Health Challenges, University of Eastern Finland Says

Follow-up research conducted at the University of Eastern Finland demonstrates that municipalities' use of sports resources for physical exercise does not always result in increased activity.

Individual variables have a more significant impact on physical exercise habits than finances. The most educated and in the best health participated in leisure-time physical exercise at a higher rate than the least educated or the less healthy. Men exercised more during their free time than women, whereas women exercised more when commuting.

Doctoral Researcher Virpi Kuvaja-Köllner said in a Medical Xpress report: "The emphasis on the importance of individual factors suggests that even the best physical activity facilities and possibilities do not make people physically active if they do not have their own personal motivation and interest in physical activity. In Finland, the infrastructure for physical activity is already so comprehensive that simply increasing resources does not automatically increase residents' physical activity."

The study further revealed that commuter physical activity was lower in rural than urban regions.

According to the World Health Organization, physical activity is any skeletal muscle-driven movement involving energy use. All movement, whether done for recreation, transportation to and from locations, or as part of a person's job, is considered physical exercise.

It has been demonstrated that regular exercise helps control and prevent noncommunicable illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and several malignancies. Additionally, it lowers blood pressure, supports healthy body weight, and enhances mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life.

Commuters May Combine Walking, Cycling With Transportation When Living in Cities

Researchers found that compared to cities, public transportation is less accessible in rural regions. Consequently, driving one's own vehicle to work is common. In cities, commuters can mix walking or cycling with public transportation if necessary.

Kuvaja-Köllner asserts that to best encourage physical activity among people, municipal physical activity and sports resources should be distributed. This is supported by the findings of the study that were published in the BMC Public Health journal.

Data from Statistics Finland and the Health 2000 and 2011 population surveys were integrated into an eleven-year follow-up study. Only subjects with the same address between 2000 and 2011 were tracked in the study. A total of 3,193 respondents from 115 municipalities shared information on their leisure-time physical activity, whereas 1,394 respondents from 110 localities provided information on their physical activity while commuting.

The number of money municipalities spent on sports, the number of miles of walking and bicycling paths, the size of the parks, and the number of sports groups that got grants between 1999 and 2010 were the indicators of municipal sports resources and the environment.

Pros and Cons of Physical Activities

Exercise can have a role in improving your quality of life, wellbeing, and physical fitness. There are numerous advantages to gradually working up to a regular fitness regimen, but occasionally it's simple to fall into some of the drawbacks of exercising. You may be sure you'll experience the long-term advantages of exercising by getting your doctor's clearance in advance and developing a solid game plan.

According to Livestrong, there are advantages and disadvantages to physical activity.

Advantage: Physical Changes

Regular exercise may improve your appearance. Regular exercise and a healthy, well-balanced diet may help you achieve your goals, whether you want to reduce weight, build muscle mass, enhance muscle tone, or just maintain your body.

You're less prone to experience physical restrictions if you maintain good physical condition. You can carry out daily tasks easily, such as carrying grocery bags, climbing stairs, and mowing the grass, and your sports performance may also improve.

Advantage: Better Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the long-term advantages of exercise is that it can contribute to a longer and healthier life. The CDC added that regular exercise lowers your chance of developing numerous diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, certain malignancies, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Regular exercise can also help you sleep better at night and maintain the strength of your bones, joints, and muscles. Additionally, sadness and early-onset cognitive deterioration are less likely to affect you.

Disadvantage: Risk of Injuries

You might be exposed to the drawbacks of exercise by impulsively starting an exercise routine, overdoing it, and forgetting to relax. In addition to increasing your risk of injury, overexertion can make you feel weak, exhausted, and dehydrated. Overtraining can also lead to cardiac issues, osteoporosis, arthritis, difficulties conceiving, and loss of the menstrual cycle in women, according to Washington and Lee University.

Disadvantage: Dehydration, Loss of Energy

Regular exercise is frequently advised if you want to reduce weight. However, exercise burns calories, and your body needs to make sure you replenish the lost energy after your workout. Here is where hormones that cause hunger might cause you to experience cravings and hunger.

If you don't change your diet, you can find yourself consuming more calories than you expended doing out, which might lead to weight gain. Women experience the need to eat more after working out than men do, according to Shape magazine.

Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.