Humans living today are stone age hunter-gatherers displaced through time. An adaption of sedentary activities has contributed to the decline in energy expenditure. In the past century, it has been well documented that regular physical activity has a positive effect on skeletal muscle, pulmonary function, the heart and vascular system, and the circulatory system. With 28% of the U.S population considered by the American College of Sports Medicine to be physically inactive- 61% of adults considered to be of low socioeconomic status (SES) are physically inactive. Using a person’s social and economic status to define socioeconomic status, this study analyzes socioeconomic differences to prove that those of lower SES are at an increased disadvantage for living physically inactive lifestyles and are thus more susceptible to adverse health conditions.

When faced with any physical activity, the body responds through several integrated changes in function that involve most of its physiologic systems. These changes are analyzed in this study in to document that as rate of work increases, cardiac output, coronary blood flow, and mean arterial pressure all respond favorably. Thus, it is concluded that regular exercise plays a protective role in hypertension, atherosclerosis, plasma lipid profile, thrombosis, cardiac arrhythmias, and other cardiovascular diseases.

The paper then goes on to compare lower and higher socioeconomic communities within Los Angeles County by analyzing demographics and identifying discrepancies. After analyzing disease prevalence, as well as social and physical limitations to regular exercise among the communities of lower SES, potential solutions are proposed to help offset any discrepancies identified.