Role of Physical Exercise in Preventing Disease and Improving the Quality of Life

by Vilberto Stocchi (Editor), Pierpaolo De Feo (Editor), David A. Hood (Editor)

Overview

Over the last decade studies have shown that physical exercise plays an important role in maintaining an individual's psycho-physical balance. In particular, it has been demonstrated that prolonged regular physical activity (now defined in scientific publications as chronic physical activity) helps to significantly reduce the incidence of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases, which are often associated with ageing, while at the same time bolstering the immune system.

Promoting physical activity therefore helps preventing today's major health challenges, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiorespiratory diseases, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, and cancer, thus leading to a reduction in healthcare costs and freeing up resources for future generations.

The volume will be an essential reading for all health professionals and for residents in medicine and in health and physical exercise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788847003750
Publisher:	Springer Milan
Publication date:	09/10/2007
Edition description:	2007
Pages:	221
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

About the Author

Prof. Vilberto Schi is currently Full Professor of Biochemistry and Dean of the Faculty of Health and Physical Exercise at the University of Urbino. Furthermore Prof. Schi is the Director of the Center for the Study of Protein Biochemistry at the University of Urbino and of Institute of Research on Physical Activity.

Currently he is involved in the Project CIPE - Improvement of the quality of the life of the elderly, of the Marche Region, through the use of methodologies and innovative equipments with particular reference to the physical activity; he is also working for the European Project 2004: European year of the Education through the Sport Program "Education and sport: values without frontiers ".

The research activity of the Prof. Schi is documented by more then 200 papers published on international scientific reviews and by as many Conference participation.

Table of Contents

Metabolic Modifications and Physical Exercise.- Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Skeletal Muscle Plasticity.- Physical Inactivity is the Main Cause of the Metabolic Syndrome.- Mihondrial Biogenesis and Physical Exercise.- Exercise-Induced Mihondrial Biogenesis in Skeletal Muscle.- Genetic Vs. Acquired Fitness: Cardiomyocyte Adaptations.- Molecular Modifications Induced by Physical Exercise: A Significant Role in Disease Prevention.- Physical Exercise and Oxidative Stress.- The Contribution of Reactive Oxygen Species in Sarcopenia and Muscle Aging.- Mihondrial Alteration in Aging and Diseases.- Mihondria: The Dark Side.- Mihondrial Pathogenesis of Myopathies Due to Collagen VI Mutations.- Mihondria in Cell Life and Death.- Nutrition, Physical Exercise and Obesity.- Evaluation of Nutritional State in Individuals that Practice Fitness.- Physical Exercise for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity.- Physical Exercise - Health and Wellness: Sociological and Psychological Aspects.- Techniques for Assessing the Quality of Life with a Particular Emphasis on Physical Exercise.- Effects of Physical Exercise on the Quality of Life of Individuals with Diabetes and Obesity.- A Longitudinal Investigation of Physical Activity and Health Behaviors in Italian University Students.

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

"This is an excellent compendium of the current understanding of the role of exercise in human metabolism. An impressive list of world experts in muscle metabolism contribute chapters that clinicians will find easy to understand. … intended audience appears to be both current and future researchers in muscle metabolism, but the book will serve clinical investigators as well. The book does an excellent job of reviewing the literature of basic molecular muscle biology. … a significant addition to both a clinician’s and a researcher’s library." (Vincent F. Carr, Doody's Review Service, November, 2007)

From the Publisher