Exercise for health and longevity can stress overrule and spell disaster

Abstract

This study examines the role of physical activity by way of exercise that mediates in the form of a preventive measure for combating stress regardless of age and gender. Stress is becoming the number one health hazard and many diseases are born of stress. Exercise however is an effective measure to reduce it. In the present investigation both males (n=152, between 18–70 years) and females (n=135, between 17–60 years) show differences in their exercise habits. Females in comparison to males show a marginally higher inclination to engage in physical exercise and this is directly associated with their level of efficacy. The major finding indicates that efficacious females are placed on a perfect normal distribution so far as exercise habits are concerned. Very few efficacious females show a low or a very high desire to exercise. For males exercise is to a great extent a stress buster. This study therefore is a pointer towards the fact that exercise habits could still be a gendered phenomenon in the country.