TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Football for health - prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases across the lifespan through football
JO  - Scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
A1  - Dvorak, J.
A1  - Krustrup, P.
A1  - Junge, A.
A1  - Bangsbo, J.
SP  - 147
EP  - 150
VL  - 24
IS  - Suppl 1
N2  - This supplement contains 16 original articles describing how football [soccer] conducted as small sided games affects fitness and health of untrained individuals across the lifespan. The intermittent nature of football and high exercise intensity result in a broad range of effects. The heart changes its structure and improves its function. Blood pressure is markedly reduced with the mean arterial blood pressure being lowered by ~10 mmHg for hypertensive men and women training 2-3 times/week for 12-26 weeks. Triglycerides and cholesterol are lowered and body fat declines, especially in middle-aged men and women with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, muscle mass and bone mineral density increases in a number of participant groups, including 65-75-year-old men. The functional capacity is elevated with increases in VO₂ max of 10-15%, and 50-100% improvements in the capacity to perform intermittent work within 16 weeks. These effects apply irrespective of whether the participants are young, overweight, elderly or suffering from a disease. The studies clearly show that the participants enjoy playing football and form special relationships with their team mates. Thus, football is a healthy activity, providing a unique opportunity to increase recruitment and adherence to physical activity in a hitherto underserved population, and to treat and rehabilitate patients with hypertension, type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer.<p/>  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0905-7188
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sms.12271
ID  - ref1
ER  -