By Dr. Bruce E. Becker

While all of the above effects of aquatic exercise and activity seem to be receiving increased recognition within the lay press and medicine, there remains a dramatic underuse of aquatic facilities for health promotion and maintenance.
Unfortunately, many aquatic facilities often lack imaginative programming for adults in need of healthful aquatic activity and physicians are unaware of the many potential health and cost-saving benefits of aquatics. Given the rates of cardiovascular disease, cardiac debility, obesity and diabetes and their many medical complications, the costs of these health issues may eventually become unsustainable. Therefore, the industry must do a better job to increase public and professional awareness to the benefits of aquatic exercise, not only for the betterment of public health, but also for the pool and spa industry.

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By Dr. Bruce E. Becker

Linked with obesity and inactivity is a much higher likelihood of developing insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates if current trends are not intercepted, within the next four decades, the number of adults with diabetes could double or even triple, increasing the prevalence from the current one in nine adults to three adults out of nine.
Aquatic exercise can be helpful in reducing the risk of developing insulin resistance or decreasing insulin resistance if already present as it lowers fasting insulin levels while raising insulin sensitivity. It has also been shown to reduce the level of hemoglobin (A1c), a measure of average blood glucose levels over time. These findings can be important reasons to promote aquatics to those at risk of developing diabetes or those who have been diagnosed with it.

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Flow-mediated dilation (%).

By Dr. Bruce E. Becker

Obesity has long been noted as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, although it is less significant a risk than inactivity. In several studies, swimming and aquatic activity did not seem to produce as significant an effect on weight loss and per cent body fat as land-based activity did. Further, swimming did not seem to produce significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) when compared to land-based exercise as has been noted both in young and older swimmers compared to their land-exercising peers.
Other studies, however, have shown when exercise intensity and duration are matched completely, both forms of exercise may be expected to produce both weight loss and an increase in lean body mass. These and other studies have also shown swimming and other aquatic exercises do produce a decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C).

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Arterial compliance comparisons.

By Dr. Bruce E. Becker

Obesity has long been noted as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, although it is less significant a risk than inactivity. In several studies, swimming and aquatic activity did not seem to produce as significant an effect on weight loss and per cent body fat as land-based activity did. Further, swimming did not seem to produce significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) when compared to land-based exercise as has been noted both in young and older swimmers compared to their land-exercising peers.
Other studies, however, have shown when exercise intensity and duration are matched completely, both forms of exercise may be expected to produce both weight loss and an increase in lean body mass. These and other studies have also shown swimming and other aquatic exercises do produce a decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C).

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By Dr. Bruce E. Becker

Non-communicable diseases cause 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide and nearly half of these are from cardiovascular disease. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. (one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day), and the second in Canada (every seven minutes someone dies from heart disease or stroke). The larger issue at hand, however, is these conditions are also the leading causes of disability, preventing people from working and enjoying family activities. Cardiovascular disease is also incredibly expensive—both heart disease and stroke hospitalizations in the U.S. cost more than $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity, while it costs the Canadian economy more than $20.9 billion every year.

Read the full article: Aquatic Fitness