Exercising a disease-dodging option

It seems that not a day goes by that I don't talk about lifestyle changes, either counselling a patient in my office or reporting on television. When I first began seeing patients 25 years ago, I never asked about their exercise regimes; now it's a standard part of taking a personal history, just as I ask about alcohol use and smoking habits.

It is clear that physical activity or physical fitness, call it what you will, has significant health benefits. Study after study has found that being inactive increases the chances of getting a chronic disease -- such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer and osteoporosis -- and of premature death from any cause.