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INTRODUCTION

Regular exercise plays an important role in lowering the risks of untimely death, and chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (respiratory system), cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and other non-communicable diseases (Luzak et al., 2017).  The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, COPD would shift from the fifth position to the fourth position of the most common disease, resulting in an increased mortality rate in the world (Naseer et al., 2017). COPD is one of the well-known respiratory health dysfunctions (Naseer et al., 2017). It has been reported that more than 38 million people die each year worldwide, because of non-communicable diseases such as respiratory diseases, it is believed that the number will increase to 52 million people by 2030 (WHO, 2014; Joschtel et al., 2018).

Physical bodily training is beneficial to individuals with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (Luzak et al., 2017). Increased physical activities have also been known to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality rates among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (Luzak et al., 2017). Exercise training improves the ventilatory muscle function and promotes the forced vital capacity (Luzak et al., 2017). Because of all the beneficial impacts of exercise, hence the reason patients suffering from chronic respiratory issues are being referred to a physiotherapist to undertake pulmonary rehabilitation programs (Luzak et al., 2017).  

A two-year prospective cross-sectional study on the effects of smoking and physical activity on pulmonary function (PF) in young adults, that recorded the age, gender, weight, height, pulmonary symptoms, smoking status, and sports habits; discovered that physical activity did not affect smoker lung function, however, the absence of physical activity significantly impaired lung function, according to a spirometer measurement (Dugral et al., 2019).

Exercise is described as a planned physical activity that produces marked changes in body functions including the respiratory system (Awad et al., 2017). Physical inactivity is directly related to morbidity and mortality from many diseases. Physical training is one of the major bases for good health and wellbeing and is currently recommended globally (Awad et al., 2017; Puente-Maestu & Stringer, 2018 ). A study that investigated the measurement of respiratory muscles strength discovered that long-term regular physical exercise improves lung function as well as respiratory muscle power and may delay the age-related decline in lung function. (Awad et al., 2017).

Chronic respiratory diseases are disorders that affect the lungs and impacts negatively the respiratory health (Joschtel et al., 2018). It occurs in children, adolescents, and adults. The conditions include asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis, consequences of the chronic neonatal lung (Joschtel et al., 2018). Asthma disease is a condition in which there is reversible airway obstruction, airway inflammation, and increased airway responsiveness, which is the most common respiratory disease (Joschtel et al., 2018; Jayasinghe et al., 2015). Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder and is the most common inherited life-limiting disease (Joschtel et al., 2018). Almost all people with CF disorder experience respiratory failure and die (Joschtel et al., 2018). Bronchitis is known to induce irreversible dilatation of one or more bronchi and decrease lung function (Joschtel et al., 2018). It is also one of the diseases that leads to respiratory morbidity and mortality, especially when it occurs to economically disabled or poor individuals (Joschtel et al., 2018).

 Joschtel et al. concluded in their study about the effect of exercise on respiratory diseases among children that exercise plays an important role in improving fitness and quality of life among children with asthma and Cf diseases (Joschtel et al., 2018). According to Jayasinghe et al., several individuals avoid exercise due to fear of an exacerbation or asthma attack, although the current evidence suggests that exercise is not only safe and well-tolerated, but can also provide a protective effect through improving exercise endurance and, consequently, the body’s ability to cope with strain (Jayasinghe et al., 2015).

Due to the issues surrounding respiratory diseases and the effect of exercise, the World Health Organization has recommended types of exercises and duration that can be helpful for children and adolescents. According to WHO “Improved physical fitness is responsible for improving cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, cardiometabolic health, academic performance and more, in both children, adolescents, and adults” (WHO, 2020). For quality health in children and adolescents an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous-intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week (WHO, 2020). Also, they mentioned that for optimal health to be achieved, both young and old should avoid a sedentary lifestyle as it is detrimental to our health in general (WHO, 2020).

Exercise and physical activity have also been known to be associated with longevity in humans, due to their role in improving respiratory health, but several other studies have shown the reverse. For example, population studies show that physical activities have been associated with the slower age-related decline of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in adults (Skender et al., 2016; Luzak et al., 2017). Another example is a longitudinal study among middle-aged men that showed that those with higher levels of physical activity experienced reduced lung function decline over twenty-five years (Skender et al., 2016; Luzak et al., 2017). However, Luzak et al.’s study saw a positive association(weak) between physical activity and volumetric lung function indices in young-healthy adults from southern Germany (Luzak et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important to study the effect of exercise on respiratory health.

AIM

• To determine the effect of exercise on respiratory health

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To determine the effect of exercise on respiratory morbidity and mortality rates
• To determine the effect of exercise on asthma disease
• To determine the effect of exercise on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• To determine the effect of exercise on bronchitis disease
• To determine the effect of exercise on lung function
• To determine the effect of exercise on lung muscles

RESEARCH PROBLEM

The rate at which respiratory diseases are increasing is a matter of public health concern. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, COPD would shift from the fifth most common disease to the fourth most common disease that causes mortality in the world (Naseer et al., 2017). COPD is one of the well-known respiratory health dysfunctions (Naseer et al., 2017). Regular exercise has been reported to be beneficial to individuals with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma (Luzak et al., 2017). Increased physical activities have also been known to reduce the risk of hospital admissions and mortality rates among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (Luzak et al., 2017). Exercise training improves the ventilatory muscle function and showed positive effects on the forced vital capacity (Luzak et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of exercise on respiratory health.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What is the effect of exercise on respiratory morbidity and mortality rates?
• What is the effect of exercise on asthma disease?
• What is the effect of exercise on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
• What is the effect of exercise on bronchitis disease?
• What is the effect of exercise on lung function?
• What is the effect of exercise on lung muscles?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

There exists controversy over the effect of exercise and respiratory health. Exercise and physical activity have also been known to be associated with longevity in humans due to their role in improving respiratory health, but several other studies have shown the reverse (Skender et al., 2016; Luzak et al., 2017). Several individuals avoid exercise due to fear of an exacerbation or asthma attack, although the current evidence suggests that exercise is not only safe and well-tolerated, but can also provide a protective effect through improving exercise endurance and, consequently, the body’s ability to cope with strain (Jayasinghe et al., 2015). Therefore, this present study will investigate the effect of exercise on respiratory health to add to knowledge and proffer solution to the controversy.

METHODOLOGY

• Study Design: This study will review current literature to determine the effect of stress on cardiovascular diseases. In the search for this literature, keywords such as “Exercise”, “Respiratory health”, “Respiratory disease”, “Respiratory risk factors”, and other related terms will be utilized. Databases such as Pubmed/ Medline, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, will also be used to source data Also, Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used in selecting relevant literature for this study.

ANALYSIS

The following will be used for analysis in this review, they are; cluster analysis (CA) and/or factor analysis (FA), and/or principal component analysis (PCA). The results will be presented as odds ratios (OR).

RISK ASSESSMENT

The risk assessment conducted for this project is provided in the table below:

Table 1:  Risk assessment

SCHEDULE

    Table 2: Project Plan

REFERENCES

Awad, K. M., Magzoub, A., Elbedri, O., & Musa, O. (2017). Effect of physical training on lung function and respiratory muscles strength in policewomen trainees. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 5(6), 2516. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20172439

Dugral, E., Balkanci, D., & Ekizoglu, O. (2019). Effects of smoking and physical exercise on respiratory function test results in students of university: A cross-sectional study. Medicine (United States), 98(32). https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000016596

Jayasinghe, H., Kopsaftis, Z., & Carson, K. (2015). Asthma bronchial and Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction. Respiration, 89(6), 505–512. https://doi.org/10.1159/000433559

Joschtel, B., Gomersall, S. R., Tweedy, S., Petsky, H., Chang, A. B., & Trost, S. G. (2018). Effects of exercise training on physical and psychosocial health in children with chronic respiratory disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000409

Luzak, A., Karrasch, S., Thorand, B., Nowak, D., Holle, R., Peters, A., & Schulz, H. (2017). Association of physical activity with lung function in lung-healthy German adults: Results from the KORA FF4 study. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-017-0562-8

Naseer, B. A., Al-Shenqiti, A. M., Ali, A. R. H., Al-Jeraisi, T. M., Gunjan, G. G., & Awaidallah, M. F. (2017). Effect of a short term pulmonary rehabilitation program on exercise capacity, pulmonary function and health-related quality of life in patients with COPD. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 12(6), 471–476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2017.07.005

Puente-Maestu, L., & Stringer, W. W. (2018). Physical activity to improve health: Do not forget that the lungs benefit too. In European Respiratory Journal, 51(2): 1-18

Skender, S., Ose, J., Chang-Claude, J., Paskow, M., Bruhmann, B. & Siegel, E.M (2016). Accelerometry and physical activity questionnaires - a systematic review. BMC Public Health.;16:515

World Health Organization (WHO) (2020) WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

World Health Organization (WHO) (2014). Global Status Report on noncommunicable diseases.

Switzerland: World Health Organization.

Last updated: Jan 25, 2022 05:07 PM