The Health Benefits of Exercise -- A Critical Reappraisal

In his 1772 account of angina pectoris, the English physician William Heberden described a patient who “set himself a task of sawing wood for half an hour every day, and was nearly cured”1. More recently, the question of whether regular physical activity can prevent heart disease and its progression has been controversial. While exercise disciples have preached the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle, skeptics have demanded proof. Two articles in this issue of the Journal, by Paffenbarger et al.2 and Sandvik et al.,3 will further fuel the debate. They are representative of the many epidemiologic studies dealing . . .