Aerobic Fitness Information

Related effects of exercise include the following:

• Lowering of high blood pressure.
• Increasing the high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the blood which helps collect the cholesterol in the blood and dispose of it in the liver.
• Lowering the plasma triglyceride levels (fatty substances).
• Assisting in weight control, mainly by reducing body fat.
• Improving the function of the heart, by promoting beneficial changes in the structure and function of the coronary arteries (which provide oxygen to the heart muscle.
• Alleviating muscle pain and improving walking capability in people who suffer from peripheral arterial disease.

Other health related effects of exercise include the following:

• Reduction in the rate of occurrence of various types of cancer involving the colon, breast, prostate, and lungs.
• Assistance in the prevention of osteoporosis (loss in bone mineral density).
• Prevention of lower back pain. Reduction in the incidence of stroke.
• Improvement in the functioning of the immune system.
• Decreasing the insulin requirement and improving glucose control in Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes; preventing the development of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, and improving glucose tolerance if this condition exists.
• Strengthening of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.
• Assistance in the control of joint pain and swelling in people who suffer from arthritis.
• Improving temperature regulation at rest and during exercise in different environments.
• Improving blood pressure control, and minimizing fainting in people who are prone to this condition.

Since aerobic fitness is a measure of the ability to sustain prolonged efforts, it determines the degree of fatigue that almost everybody experiences in daily life. The higher your aerobic fitness, the less fatigue you experience.

Aerobic fitness indicates such capabilities as walking, running and climbing; therefore, it is an important requirement in many sports, recreational activities and in some occupations.

Aerobic fitness may be the most important asset in emergency situations such as floods, earthquakes, lost in the wilderness, and other crises. The ability to reach safety or to survive under such circumstances may depend upon one's endurance in walking, running, swimming, climbing, and similar activities.

Aerobic fitness is a very important factor in growth and development during childhood and adolescence. It is also an important factor in the aging process. A high level of aerobic fitness during the growing years indicates good development of the muscles, bones, and cardiorespiratory system. It is more important in this respect than body weight. The UFT allows, for the first time, to classify the aerobic fitness of children and adolescents.

In advanced age, aerobic fitness provides a measure of how fit one is physiologically. A 65 year old individual with a high aerobic fitness may actually mean that he or she is only 40 years old with respect to the condition of that person's cardiorespiratory, muscular, and other bodily systems. Although Vo2 max decreases with age, numerous studies have shown that exercise slows its rate of decline.

Good aerobic fitness is related to the ability to tolerate two common environmental stresses: heat, and high altitude. Aerobically trained individuals can exercise longer under these conditions as compared with untrained persons.