Foreword

Across the developed world, birth rates are falling and people are living longer. This situation is demanding the exploration of new roads to promote healthy aging, rather than merely treating the diseases of old age. A powerful therapeutic option for promoting healthy ageing as well as for treating age-related diseases is physical activity. There is compelling evidence that physical activity practised on a regular basis plays a key role in maintaining health and physical function also in older adults. Indeed, some International Institutions, such as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine strongly recommend older adults (≥65 years) to enrol in aerobic and strength activities most of the days of the week.

The present E-book thoroughly describes in a clear and understandable format the potential role of regular physical activity to improve the well-being of older adults. This text will be a very practical and useful guide for public health professionals, health and fitness leaders, healthcare providers, and anyone who is interested in learning more about physical activity and health in the elder from an expert in the field.

Increasing physical activity is a public health challenge and the author presents an ambitious and broad-ranging review of the current state of our understanding of physical activity and health and offers very practical tools to meet these challenges.