The Gerontologist, Vol 31, Issue 3 347-357, Copyright © 1991 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Unfit survivors: exercise as a resource for aging women

SJ O'Brien and PA Vertinsky
Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Some researchers have suggested that about 50% of aging decline is preventable through improved life-style habits such as participation in regular exercise, yet exercise as a resource for healthier survival is being ignored by many aging women. Though recent research findings highlight regular physical activity as a potent factor in combatting hypokinesis (the disease of inactivity), numerous real and perceived barriers to exercise stand between the older woman and her ability to achieve a better quality of life. Among strategies that have been developed to overcome these barriers are social empowerment initiatives that may encourage women to combat disability by engaging in regular exercise.

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