Many of the leading causes of death for people between the ages of 25 and 65 are preventable. Lifestyle habits either speed-up or reverse disease and aging. Adults can reclaim good health by changing their poor health habits. This will decrease their risk for disability and their time spent in the "Disability Zone."

The Disability Zone is that period of time in life when people can no longer function on their own. They are limited in mental, physical, or social functioning. The average person's life span in 1980 was about 73 years with about 11 of those years lived in the Disability Zone. The average 65-year-old can now expect to live until the age of 82 years.

Health risk factors move people into this zone where they cannot take care of themselves. Risk factors can lead to decreased body function or to disease. For example, an inactive lifestyle can promote the onset of heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and diminished mental health. Over many years, cholesterol deposits (plaques) are laid down in blood vessels from smoking, eating too much fat and food, not exercising, being overweight, and having high blood pressure. A heart attack occurs when fatty plaques and clots block the flow of blood to an area of the heart muscle. The area dies and scars if the person survives the attack. Some plaques can be reduced by eliminating the health risk factors that caused them. Cut back severely on fat and calories. Exercise. Stop smoking. Lose weight if overweight. By doing this with medical guidance a normal life span can be lived. What is more, you will add quality to your later years.

One of the goals listed in HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000: NATIONAL HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION OBJECTIVES is to increase the span of healthy life for Americans. Exercise is a major contributor to this goal. Exercise improves fitness. Fitness and exercise are crucial to successful aging. A no-exercise lifestyle is a major health risk. Exercise is fitness medicine. Fitness medicine prevents loss of function by promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors. It brings about positive changes to reduce human and financial losses associated with chronic diseases. The impact of fitness medicine is both healing and preventive. It is self-health care that regenerates the body and rekindles the spirit. It adds years to life and life to years.

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