Importance of Being Physically Fit In Today’s Society, Research Paper Example

Physical fitness has always played a significant role in mortality expectancy and by that standpoint it’s an important factor in societal wellbeing. It could be argued however that being physically fit is especially important in today’s society due to the abnormal amount of processed foods in distribution which are largely composed of saturated fats and chemicals designed to optimize industrial manufacturing of said foods. Traditionally, human have had to hunt for their food or grow their own organic foods which served as a source of raw nutrients and provided exceptionally more health benefits than the common produce consumed in daily western culture. The consumption of these processed foods combined with the individuals being significantly less active due to reliance on technology has created a society where physical fitness is a paramount aspect of social, mental, and physical health. The following will take a deeper look into this concept.

Hoeger and Hoeger identify three contributing factors which dictate health and longevity. These factors are environment, behavior, and genetics (Hoeger & Hoeger, pp.4). The authors note that the current average life expectancy in the U.S. 78.7 years. On average women live to be 81.1 years old and men live to be 76.3 years. Hoeger and Hoeger state, “according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, four health habits can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes by almost 80 percent” (pp.5). The authors further note that individuals need at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise; they need to avoid smoking, consume a diet that is rich in whole wheat, fruits and vegetable and have a low consumption of meat. The final finding is that for optimum health individuals must maintain a body mass index (BMI) lower than 30 (Hoeger &Hoeger, pp.5). The authors place a major emphasis on physical fitness as a deciding factor in maintaining health. Hoeger and Heoger state that, “because of the unhealthy lifestyles that many young adults lead, their bodies may be middle-aged or older! Many school physical fitness programs do not emphasize the skills necessary for young people to maintain a high level of fitness and health through life” (Hoeger & Hoeger, pp.6). Here it’s clear that, while lack of physical fitness is identified as a primary reason young people have bodies around the same health level as someone twice their age, the real cause of the lack of physical fitness is that people don’t have the proper training they need and education in the practice of physical fitness and mobile activity.

Seligman identifies a connection between optimism and cardiovascular health. He states that, “…positive mood is associated with protection from colds and flu, and negative mood with greater risk for colds and flu. I conclude that highly optimistic people may have a lower risk for developing cancer. I conclude that healthy people who have good psychological well-being are at less risk for death from all causes” (Sligman, pp.9). This connection Seligman is making is one that is commonly held in communities that practice yoga. It’s held between people that search for the connection between the physical and the spiritual world. The author provides scientific proof that one’s mental health, specifically their outlook on life can shape their health.

Meyers and authors uncover the fact that physical fitness in men represents the single most important variable in predicting the all causes mortality. The authors note that, “exercise capacity determined from exercise testing and energy expenditure from weekly activity outperform other clinical and exercise test variables in predicting all-cause mortality” (Meyers et al., pp.912). This means that no matter what someone’s cause of death, whether they die from cancer, old age, or even an accident, all factors can be traced back to their level of physical fitness as a contributing variable. Obviously in regards to accidents happening, the authors are referring to mental and physical fatigue, lapses in hand eye coordination, the ability to endure substances such as alcohol and how the body reacts to these substances based on the user’s unique physical condition.

In conclusion, the real reason why physical fitness is so important in society today is largely due to the lack of knowledge individuals have about physical fitness combined with the lack of moderate physical exercise people would traditionally have without the use of technology. The digital era, while it has brought about technological advances such as smart watches and smart textiles, tools that can be used to monitor the health, daily activity, fitness and well-being of individuals, these technologies have also made people more complacent and less mobile. There are also some studies which suggest the overuse of social media and decline interpersonal communication can lead to depression, which coincides with Seligman’s belief that mental health has a direct correlation with physical health and the prevention of disease. In today’s society, people are more isolated and less active and exposed to manufactured food products which makes it much more difficult for them to stay physically fit. This is why being physically fit is very important in today’s society.

Work Cited

Hoeger, Wener, and Sharon Hoeger. Lifetime physical fitness and wellness: A personalized program. Cengage Learning, 2014.

Myers, Jonathan, et al. “Fitness versus physical activity patterns in predicting mortality in men.” The American journal of medicine 117.12 (2004): 912-918.

Seligman, Martin EP. Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster, 2012.