What men should know about the impact of physical activity on their health

Apart from not smoking, being physically active is the most powerful lifestyle choice an individual can make for improved health outcomes (7). Booth and Laye (40) note that long-term exercise and physical activity result in positive adaptations to almost every cell type, tissue and system in the body. The same authors make the point that this could also be viewed as, physical inactivity results in widespread pathophysiological changes (40). Perhaps our bodies have evolved to function optimally on a certain level of physical activity that many people just do not achieve in our modern day society? The results are witnessed by a broad range of health care professionals, across many different specialties and in many health care settings. Men and women of all ages who do not meet the minimal physical activity guidelines should be encouraged to be more physically active. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.