Health benefits of physical activity

Darren Warburton and colleagues¹ have done a thorough job of presenting the evidence for the health benefits of physical exercise, but a cautionary note may be in order.

Every book on exercise that I have seen carries the caveat that the reader should check with a physician before starting a fitness program. Yet a person's family doctor may lack the necessary qualifications to assess the potential risks. Physicians and anyone else involved in another person's fitness efforts must be aware of their responsibility to temper newfound enthusiasm for fitness and health with common sense.