Nutrition and physical activity--why we must move from a casual acquaintance to a lifelong partnership. 2001 Ryley-Jeffs memorial lecture.
Both nutrition and physical activity have important roles in health promotion and disease prevention, and are viewed by the public as closely related and synergistic. However, the present level of interaction between professionals in the two areas is limited, and could be described as a "casual acquaintance." Using heart disease, osteoporosis and obesity as examples of chronic conditions that affect the health and well-being of Canadians, reasons why the level of interaction between nutrition and exercise professionals must move to a "lifelong partnership" are discussed. For each, evidence for the roles of nutrition and physical activity in prevention and management is presented, along with data to support the concept that attention to both factors is likely to be more beneficial than attention to either alone. Obesity is presented as a risk factor for inactivity rather than a chronic disease per se: when fitness level is controlled, data suggest that lean and obese men have similar mortality rates. However, the prevalence of low fitness is much higher among obese individuals. Moving from a casual acquaintance to a lifelong partnership will require modification of the education of nutrition and fitness professionals, as well as a personal commitment by members of both groups.
Barr
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SI
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010809:Physical Fitness