Physical Activity in Mental Health and Disease. Acta Medica Scandinavica Symposium series no. 2.

Physical Activity in Health and Disease. Acta Medica Scandinavica Symposium Series No. 2. This book is a collection of information that was presented at the second Acta Medica Scandinavica International Symposium in Gothenburg, Sweden, 1985. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss the role of regular e ercise in maintaining health and in minimizing the effects of disease. In the text, presentations of related topics are grouped together and followed by a brief summary of the issues that were discussed at the meeting. The authors are internationally recognized experts in the field of exercise physiology.

The wide variety of topics fall into three major categories, which address the role of exercise in the promotion of health and function, in the modification of the effects of specific diseases, and in the management of older individuals. Specific topics discussed in the first category include the influence of regular physical activity on plasma lipid and lipoprotein profiles and on the risk of developing coronary artery disease. Musculoskeletal system alterations are also discussed, including overuse injuries and muscle pain and fatigue. The integration of exercise training in comprehensive treatment programs for the management of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and osteoporosis is discussed. For each of these conditions, exercise-related effects on the pathophysiology are proposed. Presentations related to aging deal with normal age-related changes in the hemodynamic response to exercise, changes in skeletal muscle structure and function, and the role of exercise in geriatric medicine.

This book provides accurate and current information, with excellent references. Each presentation is well organized by use of subheadings. The clarity is enhanced by presentation of information in graphs, tables, and figures. A specific conclusion section is not present in all of the articles, but the abstract serves as a summary of the information presented.

I recommend this book to those who are interested in the physiological effects of chronic exercise in both health and disease states. An understanding of basic physiology and exercise physiology is needed to fully appreciate the reports.