Women shy away from exercise, at a huge cost

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 6 years ago

Women shy away from exercise, at a huge cost

By Kate Gregorevic

Growing up, I hated doing any form of sport.

In primary school, I remember the indignity of standing in a line as my peers chose their teams, desperately hoping to not be last (I always was). Then there was high school and the uncomfortable feeling of the boys in our PE class comparing us all in our gym gear.

I’m far from the only woman to dislike exercise.

A 2017 Vic Health survey found 40 per cent of women feel embarrassed to exercise in public, compared to 26 per cent of men. Compared to men, women fear being judged while exercising, a fear that starts in the teenage years.

A 2017 Vic Health survey found 40 per cent of women feel embarrassed to exercise in public.

A 2017 Vic Health survey found 40 per cent of women feel embarrassed to exercise in public.Credit: Stocksy

ABS data shows women are less likely to be active than men, with less than 40 per cent of Australian women doing sufficient exercise. This figure is only one in five in women aged 75 and older, compared to one in three men in this age group.

As a geriatrician, I see the long-term consequences of low activity levels. Although women do have a longer life expectancy than men, older women are much more likely to be frail and have a poor health status.

Women are more likely to have a range of health conditions including depression, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, arthritis and even dementia, which are linked to being sedentary. This burden of poor health can lead to difficulty doing day-to-day activities that are essential to maintain independence.

Physical activity is an incredibly powerful tool for optimising whole body health in the long term.

Aerobic exercise, such as fast walking or running, swimming or cycling, can decrease the bodily changes associated with cellular ageing. A 2017 study at Oregon State University found short bursts of high intensity interval training (HIIT) cause changes in gene expression in mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells), which increase their capacity.

Strength training, too, can assist in delaying the decline in muscle strength and function that comes with age. This can be as simple as doing body weight exercise, like lunges, squats and push-ups in your own home.

Advertisement

Regular exercise not only decreases all cause mortality, but by improving overall health it can mean a better quality of life. Maintaining bone and muscle strength can protect against falls and fractures in future decades. A decades-long study of Swedish women published in Neurology this month showed that those who were fit in middle age had a markedly reduced chance of dementia in older age.

But, even if we know this, it is all too easy to delegate these good health behaviours to our future selves.

How do you convince yourself to do the hard yards now, for better health years down the track? Considering the immediate effects of physical activity can be far more motivating than an abstract future.

When we move our bodies to increase our heart rates, blood flow also increases to our brains and there are changes in the patterns of neurotransmitters released. In the hours after exercise, our brain function actually improves and positive mood is enhanced. This can mean the difference between feeling flat and lethargic or filled with vitality.

Nowadays, I have learnt to love exercise. But I don't motivate myself to exercise by thinking of possible future health benefits. I exercise because I know I will feel happier and my concentration and memory will be better.

The key to giving yourself the best chance at the longest, healthiest life possible is finding the movement that feels best for you today.

Most Viewed in Lifestyle

Loading