The first substantial change in human life habits came after the so-called “industrial revolution” and the second change we are now experiencing after the “technological revolution”. Before the industrial revolution, food was affected by the variability of supply that existed according to the era, and the need for effort in obtaining food always came into play.

This fact changed after the appearance of the big factories, when machines were in charge of the fine grinding of the cereals and the removal of the bran and all the non-digestible fibre parts, which caused a higher speed of glucose absorption in the cereal-rich foods. As a consequence, there was a great abundance of carbohydrate-rich foods with a high glycemic index , and therefore, of rapid assimilation that invaded our diet.

Nowadays, after the arrival of the technological revolution, these tendencies have been boosted and the advances have made available to everyone a wide variety of new foods of great palatability , with attractive colours and irresistible crunchy sounds when chewing. Some of these products are very rich in fast carbohydrates and fats: pastries, cakes and pastries, sweets, etc. All these circumstances, together with the sedentary lifestyle, have increased the negative consequences of insulin resistance in the last 50 years.

The population in industrialized countries is exposed to excess energy intake mostly in the form of rapidly assimilated carbohydrates and saturated fats. Are we taming ourselves?

A brain adapted to hunger

Although we try to avoid high-calorie foods in our diet, we are aware of how difficult it is to deprive ourselves of some of these dishes. To begin with, those foods with a high lipid content are much more tasty, which makes our nervous system prefer them.

If we go back in history, the periods that are most abundant are those of food shortage and famine, rather than abundance. For this reason, our brain has been adapting to have this preference for this type of food that helps the accumulation of fat and that is a source of essential energy to survive long periods without food. The problem we have today is that the preference for this type of food is combined with the lack of need for physical exercise in daily activities, leading to the emergence of a society with greater overweight.

These new conditions, applied to the population that carries the energy-saving genotype, cause many people to live in permanent hyperinsulinemia leading to a series of diseases. Recent studies have pointed out sedentarism as a factor linked to the appearance and severity of a large number of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity among others.

Fighting against sedentarism

In Europe, the European Commission in the White Paper on Sport acknowledges that it is not making enough progress in combating sedentarism and promoting physical activity.

The Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine considers that the prevalence of sedentary life is higher than any other risk factor of today, such as smoking or alcohol consumption, since only 12% of the population practices physical exercise properly .

This is worrying, considering that by practicing sport regularly you can enjoy various benefits. Among them we can highlight the following.

1. It is an economic saving

An investigation carried out in Argentina by the Secretariat of Tourism and Sport of the Nation with the qualified support of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) showed that the sedentary lifestyle not only favors the appearance of diseases, but also has a high economic cost for the country : approximately 20% of the budget given to health-related bodies could be saved if frequent physical activity was encouraged.

2. Has positive psychological effects

Higher levels of physical activity have been associated with fewer or fewer symptoms of depression and possibly anxiety and tension. For this reason sport is one of the most frequent psychological interventions. Another advantage we found is the construction of a more solid self-esteem, a positive self-image in women and an improvement in the quality of life among children and adults. These advantages may be due to the combination of physical activity and the socio-cultural aspects that can accompany the activity.

3. Improves deep sleep

A restful sleep is like a fountain of youth, and exercise will help you achieve it. Regular exercise has been shown to help you fall asleep faster, as well as have deeper REM phases. At least 150 minutes of physical exercise a week will improve the quality of your sleep.

4. Enhances cognitive processes

On the other hand, physical activity also plays an important role in cognitive processes . A series of studies carried out by the University of Illinois in the United States found a relationship between greater aerobic activity and less neuronal degeneration. Likewise, several studies showed that some cognitive processes and skills in older people were better if they practiced physical activity.

For example, a study conducted by the same university in 1999 looked at a group of people who had led a very sedentary life for 60 years. After a 45-minute walk three times a week, they improved their mental skills, which tend to decline with age. And it is not only at older ages that significant differences have been found; in the case of children who systematically practice physical activity, the cognitive processes are better than those of sedentary children.

5. Improves brain development

There are numerous works that echo the relevance of physical exercise in the functioning and development of the brain. In a study carried out by Chaddockse it was found that children who were physically fit had an increase in the volume of the hippocampus (a very important area in learning and memory).

Thayer and his team in 1994 found through studies in mice that physical activity increased the secretion of brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin related to nerve growth factor, located primarily in the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. This substance extends the life expectancy of neurons and protects the brain from possible ischemia . In addition, he found that physical activity causes the muscle to secrete IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) which enters the bloodstream, reaching the brain and stimulating the production of brain neurotrophic factor. Therefore, physical exercise helps to better preserve the brain’s cognitive and sensory function.

All these findings positioned physical activity as a neuropreventive role in different neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

6. Delays cellular aging

Telomeres, structures located at the ends of chromosomes, shorten as we age. Long telomeres are associated with longevity.

Well, a team of scientists from the University of California has presented the results of a study where and demonstrate that with the introduction of healthy habits we can modify the size of these structures , and therefore, the predisposition to suffer the typical ailments of the age.

Concluding

Therefore, if we want to save money on drugs, have stronger self-esteem, sleep better, have a nimble brain and live longer and better, there is no doubt what we have to do from now on.

How much exercise do you need to do to stay in shape? According to the WHO, in people between 18 and 64 years old, at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise and 75 minutes of vigorous activity. This can be increased to 300 minutes in combination with muscle strengthening exercises.

Bibliographic references:

  • Chaddock, L., Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Kim, J. S., Voss, M. W. and VanPatter. M., (2010). A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume and memory performance in pre-adolescent children. Brain Research, 1358, 172-183.
  • Duperly, J. (2005). Active lifestyle in metabolic syndrome. Bogotá, D.C.
  • Matsudo, S.M. Physical activity: passport to health. Rev. Clin. Counts – 2012.
  • Ramirez, W, Vinaccia, S and Ramon Suarez, G. The impact of physical activity and sport on health, cognition, socialization and academic performance: a theoretical review Journal of Social Studies, no.18, August 2004, 67-75.
  • Ströhle, A. Physical activivty, exercise, depression and anxiety disorders. J Neural Transm (2009) 116:777-784
  • Suay, F. (2012). Why are we so sedentary?