Inflammation, physical activity, and chronic disease: An evolutionary perspective.

Area of Science:

• Exercise immunology
• Metabolic disease research
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Low-grade inflammation is linked to metabolic, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases.
• Physical inactivity and abdominal obesity promote chronic systemic inflammation.
• Evolutionary mismatch between genome and modern lifestyle contributes to disease predisposition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of inflammation in human survival.
• To examine how physical activity (PA) and inactivity regulate systemic inflammation.
• To highlight the anti-inflammatory effects of PA and exercise.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on inflammation, PA, and chronic diseases.
• Analysis of metabolic and systemic signaling pathways influenced by PA.
• Examination of skeletal muscle, fatty acid utilization, TLR4 signaling, and myokine/adipokine effects.

Main Results:

• PA and exercise training exert significant anti-inflammatory effects.
• Mechanisms include improved fatty acid utilization and modulation of myokine/adipokine signaling.
• Weight loss, alongside PA and exercise, enhances the anti-inflammatory profile.

Conclusions:

• PA and regular exercise are crucial for managing systemic inflammation.
• These interventions offer protection against and treatment for chronic diseases.
• Improved inflammatory profiles through PA, exercise, and weight loss are key to better health outcomes.