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Fitness
pays even for older adults By
Jeanine Stein, It's difficult
to ignore the persistent messages about the importance of getting fit, but
one demographic seems to be left out of the loop - men and women older
than 50.
"Some people think, 'I've been active my whole life, and now it's
my time to rest,'" says Marcia Ory, professor in the School of Rural
Public Health at Texas A&M University and lead author of the journal
article on common misconceptions about older people and fitness. The article was a synthesis of Ory's observations as director of the
Active for Life program at A&M, which promotes regular exercise for
people 50 and older, as well as from various studies on exercise funded by
the National Institute on Aging, where Ory was chief of social-science
research on aging. "That's the wrong kind of thinking, that it's fine to be active in
your 20s and 30s, but now that you're retired, it's time to rest. You
should stay as active as you can." The image of older people as frail is changing, but slowly. "It used to be that seniors were told: If you've had a heart
attack, don't be active," Ory says, "but we know now that being
active helps prevent and manage almost every chronic disease, including
diabetes and arthritis." Although organizations such as the YMCA and the International Council
on Active Aging promote fitness for the older set, Ory says there is no
one-size-fits-all message for older Americans. People in their 50s have
different fitness goals from people in their 80s, and cultural and gender
differences must be taken into account. "Some groups like to dance; others like to walk," she says.
"Some might be more family-oriented, so the message might be, 'Stay
active so you can dance at your grandchild's wedding.' " Also keeping some people from exercise is the common admonition to have
a pre-workout physical. That, says Miriam C. Morey, co-author of a study
on health advocacy, sends a mixed message about fitness: It's good to
exercise, but it might hurt you. Fear of having a heart attack or other injuries "should not
preclude you from starting to exercise," says Morey, as long as
people start slowly and build endurance. The researcher with the It's difficult
to ignore the persistent messages about the importance of getting fit, but
one demographic seems to be left out of the loop - men and women older
than 50. They often suffer from stereotypes (including their own) about
exercise; they aren't targeted in fitness-related marketing campaigns; and
many are afraid to start an exercise program because of the perceived risk
of injury or death, according to reports on older people and physical
activity published in this month's American Journal of Preventive
Medicine. The issue contains essays and original research on promoting
exercise and the benefits of movement. "Some people think, 'I've been active my whole life, and now it's
my time to rest,'" says Marcia Ory, professor in the School of Rural
Public Health at Texas A&M University and lead author of the journal
article on common misconceptions about older people and fitness. The article was a synthesis of Ory's observations as director of the
Active for Life program at A&M, which promotes regular exercise for
people 50 and older, as well as from various studies on exercise funded by
the National Institute on Aging, where Ory was chief of social-science
research on aging. "That's the wrong kind of thinking, that it's fine to be active in
your 20s and 30s, but now that you're retired, it's time to rest. You
should stay as active as you can." The image of older people as frail is changing, but slowly. "It used to be that seniors were told: If you've had a heart
attack, don't be active," Ory says, "but we know now that being
active helps prevent and manage almost every chronic disease, including
diabetes and arthritis." Although organizations such as the YMCA and the International Council
on Active Aging promote fitness for the older set, Ory says there is no
one-size-fits-all message for older Americans. People in their 50s have
different fitness goals from people in their 80s, and cultural and gender
differences must be taken into account. "Some groups like to dance; others like to walk," she says.
"Some might be more family-oriented, so the message might be, 'Stay
active so you can dance at your grandchild's wedding.' " Also keeping some people from exercise is the common admonition to have
a pre-workout physical. That, says Miriam C. Morey, co-author of a study
on health advocacy, sends a mixed message about fitness: It's good to
exercise, but it might hurt you. Fear of having a heart attack or other injuries "should not
preclude you from starting to exercise," says Morey, as long as
people start slowly and build endurance. The researcher with the
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
