Think of the average American’s lifestyle. What do you see? Is it a fit and trim person who eats a balanced diet and exercises five days a week? Probably not. The more realistic picture that comes to mind are overweight or obese people who are in and out of the hospital with a large number of health issues. This is the reality that more Americans are facing every day. Over the past seventy years, through the introduction of processed foods and sedentary lifestyles the American people have adopted a dangerous attitude toward their health. Around 68.8 percent of the United States adult population are considered overweight or obese.  One in twenty people in the United States of America, around 6.3 percent, have extreme obesity, meaning a body mass index, BMI, over 35 (National Institutes of Health). So why is this a bad thing? A lack of exercise and terrible eating habits can lead to health risks such as heart disease, poor bone health, excess fat, and many more issues. Exercise is “Activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness” that has been used since the beginning of human life (Oxford Dictionary). With the modern age, we, being the people in this world who work desk jobs and live in developed countries, have fallen off the exercise train. Everyday we wake up, get ready for the day, and drive to go sit down at school or our nine to five desk jobs. This cycle continues for the rest of our lives up until we retire. Those who sit for long periods of time can have decreased artery dilation, drops in insulin uptake, increased cholesterol levels, low enzyme levels, and lower bone density. (Are You Sitting Too Much) The key to solving this problem lies within the youth population. We must fix the problems associated with destructive health over time by targeting the youth, in their formative health years, to change the way they exercise. Through exercise starting in the younger years of life, positive health habits can be formed for life. Exercise in youth, ages 0-18, is essential to health later in life because it helps to form habits and body functions which in turn reduce health issues, both physical and mental, and death risk in old age.

Through teaching exercise habits early in life, youth are more likely to carry these skills with them throughout the rest of their lives. Kids that participate in regular exercise can help prevent them from becoming obese in youth and lowers their risk of type two diabetes. Exercise also builds stronger muscles and bones for life as well as builds a better mental attitude. Children’s sleep patterns are also greatly affected by exercise. Those who participate in daily exercise have better sleep cycles which is essential for brain development and learning. Normally, kids who exercise tend to do physical activities instead of watching television, playing video games, or looking at their phones. A recent study by the research firm Childwise done in 2015 stated that children spend an average of six hours a day looking at screens (BBC). While technology is a great resource for learning and communication, it contributes to the problem of increased sedentary lifestyles in the youth. Instead of playing little league baseball with their friends after school, kids in the modern day are binge watching Netflix shows and finding the next greatest meme. It is essential that even with increased technology use in everyday life that both children and adults maintain a certain level of exercise. According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, kids who are school age should participate in an hour or more of exercise every single day. This should be done periodically so that kids are not inactive for more than two hours at a time. This builds endurance, strength, and flexibility of the body (Gavin 2). Group exercise is a is a good way for kids to exercise. This type of activity, such as soccer or swim team, is appealing to kids because it encompasses some sort of game while hanging out with other kids. Parents can have a huge role in getting their children to exercise. Model behavior, set by the parents and mentors of the youth is a great way to set a healthy lifestyle. Parents who exercise regularly are more likely to pass these healthy habits on to their kids (Gavin 2). Simple activities in daily life, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, can make all the difference we setting an example for children.

Exercise is important because as the body ages, it begins to deteriorate. The cardiovascular system begins to weaken, leading to issues such as high blood pressure, higher cholesterol levels, heart attacks, or strokes (WHO). The bones of the body and the cartilage surrounding them also start to whether away, which can lead to osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (Age Watch). When people don’t use certain muscles and parts of their body through exercise, their bodies start to “malfunction” because these areas have not developed muscle memory. Muscle memory is “the ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired as a result of frequent repetition of that movement” (Oxford Dictionaries). Through exercise, the heart and muscles are trained for endurance, strength, and stability which develops this muscle memory. When muscle memory is trained at a very young age, it is much harder to lose.  Think about the first time you learned how to swim. Many people learned the basic strokes and kept practicing them until swimming was second nature. After putting in that practice, the physical act of swimming became an afterthought of fun in the water because your body knew what it was doing even if you were not directly focusing on it. If you do not use these muscles, you lose the functions they are supposed to perform easily, putting more stress on the body, leading to deteriorating physical health and increased death risk. In 2015, the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport published an article analyzing a “12-week Sports-based Exercise Programme for Indigenous Australian Men” (Mendham). Scientists measured the success of the patients by measuring chemical concentrations in the body. After the 12-week program, scientists in the study saw a positive change in the leptin levels of participants. Leptin is the hormone produced by adipose cells, fat cells, that acts as an appetite suppressant and metabolism booster (Mendham…). Leptin resistance is what causes weight gain in the human body. Another study done by the Institute of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences in Brazil titled “Benefits of Regular Exercise On Inflammatory And Cardiovascular Risk Markers In Normal Weight, Overweight And Obese Adults” tested the blood levels of adults after a 12-month exercise program. At the end of the 12-month period, it was concluded that “training demonstrated beneficial effects on the low-grade inflammatory state, decreasing leptin, resistin and IL-6 and cardiovascular clinical markers such as blood pressure and homocysteine, mainly in overweight and/or obese individuals.” Overweight and obese individuals have the capability to restore their health (Gondim). Through exercise, the body is able to maintain homeostasis more effectively and repair damage that has already been done. While exercise in youth is ideal because it leads to a healthier overall life, it is never too late to start being active. Though there can be permanent damage associated with illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, it is better to change the unhealthy ways of the lifestyle than to progress the damage even more. It is better to start exercising late than to not exercise at all. By targeting youth populations to exercise more through fun activities such as group exercise and team sports, leaving behind a sedentary lifestyle, they will hopefully be able to prevent diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol in the future.

While chemical changes that affect the physical body are extremely important, chemical changes in the brain are vital as well. Mental health is one of the most prevalent health issues of today. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will experience some sort of mental health disorder throughout their lives (WHO). Though exercise is not a universal solvent for mental health disorder, exercise can help maintain hormones and chemical balances in the body. By working out, the body releases two important chemicals: brain-derived neurotrophic factors, BDNF, and endorphins. BDNF is the chemical that can help with long-term memory and decision making. Endorphins produce exercise highs. Through the combination of these two chemicals, the body can handle three times the amount of stress it normally could (Morning Exercise=Mental Health). By starting exercise in youth, the body can start making BDNF and endorphins for a large part of a person’s lifespan, leading them to make better decisions and help with a happier state of mind. Group exercise is also quite effective as a treatment for mental health issues. Humans have a need for social interaction. Surrounding one’s self with other people in group exercise classes such as cycle or kickboxing, or participating in team sports, like lacrosse or rugby meet this need for social interaction. Not only is the body producing BDNF and endorphins, but it also increases leaves of oxytocin, the chemical in the body that is released when you bond with other people. Higher levels of oxytocin lead a person to feel accepted and therefore happier. Those who surround themselves with others tend to be happier people (Nair). In order to live a long healthy life, one must take care of both their mental and physical needs. The two areas of health overlap so often that one truly cannot exist without the other. Children who start group exercise at a young age are practicing healthy habits for both their mental and physical health. While learning how to do specific types of exercise, such as soccer or gymnastics, kids are making friends, learning team skills, and improving their social lives. Speaking from personal experience, kids are more likely to participate in an activity if they are having fun. Sports are often seen as a game with a specific goals: to win. Once they have this feeling, they will continue to crave it.

A topic that comes up frequently when talking about exercise its cost on the body, and if these costs outweigh any potential benefits associated with exercise in old age. Over-exercising is seen as a main issue by scientists. A Time magazine article summarized a study done in Denmark that analyzed runners and the amount of time and effort they put into running ever week. Researchers found that those who exercised more than four hours a week had higher mortality risk than those ran less than four hours a week in total.  Also, those who ran more than four hours a week were more likely to develop negative changes in the structure and makeup of the heart and its relating vessels. For those who predominantly exercise outside, increased sun exposure provides the large threat of skin cancer (Park). Over the span of years being in the sun, people who exercise outdoors can find themselves being at higher risk for the main three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Melanoma can be deadly if not found in the earlier cancer stages (American Cancer Society). Those who over-exercise put themselves in the same danger of heart health as those live a sedentary lifestyle and do not exercise at all. Increased stress on the heart, through either too much or not enough exercise, is never a good thing. The study concluded that too much exercise puts an unjust amount of stress on the body, creating health issues that could have otherwise been avoided with a smaller, targeted amount of exercise. Exercise is best when done in moderation, too much or too little exercise can be dangerous to the body. Moderation should also be applied to sun exposure received during exercise. If individuals limit their time spent outdoors or wear the appropriate SPF sunscreen, they can greatly decrease their risk for skin cancer and sun-related issues. (Park).

Think of your future self. You are 65 years old. What do you see? Is it a person who has poorly aged and is crippled? Do you look severely weathered compared to your other friends in the elderly living community? Are you unable to take care of your grandchildren because your heart and bone health has deteriorated? Or are you the star of retiree’s tennis group? Are you in the park, chasing your grandkids around, in great physical condition? Is there no worry about suddenly having a heart attack, or falling and shattering all your bones? Are you healthy? Exercise is an essential part of everyday life. By exercising, starting in the formative youth years, one can nurture their body to be health functioning throughout their entire life. By talking to your doctor and deciding which exercise is best for you, you can live the best mental and physical life for yourself and the people you care about. You can fully be there physically when the ones you love need you. The choice of whether or not to be physically active is yours, but if you are going to live a healthy life, you must start now. Your time in this world slowly counting down on an unknown clock, you would do everything in your power to extend that time, would you not?
