Lung information

Did you know...

•  The lungs are the largest organ in the body.

•  The lungs are the only internal organ exposed to the external elements.

•  When you are resting, you usually breathe in 12 litres of air a minute. During intense exercise this can increase to approximately 125 litres per minute.

•  During exercise you will breathe approximately 60 times a minute, compared to 14 to 16 times a minute when at rest.

•  The tiny air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli, would fill the space of a tennis court if they were opened and laid out flat.

Lung disease and exercise: the facts

  • Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality.[1]

  • Tobacco, physical inactivity, poor diet and alcohol are the four major health determinants that account for most of the chronic disability and death in Europe, yet only 3% of health expenses are invested in prevention with 97% being invested in treatment. [2]
  • Research has found that increased physical activity is associated with a reduction in the risk of lung cancer of up to 30%.[3]
  • An increase in physical activity has been linked to a decreased rate of decline of lung function over 25 years.[4]
  • People with COPD who attend a programme of pulmonary rehabilitation for at least 4 weeks have been found to show improvement in terms of quality of life and exercise capacity.

Spirometry: the facts

  • 50% of patients with COPD, including some with advanced disease, are undiagnosed and therefore untreated. [6]
  • 23.1% of the people who took a lung test on World Spirometry Day 2010 were referred to their healthcare professional with an abnormal result. [7]
  • If every citizen in Europe were given a regular lung health check, we would be able to plan for those likely to require healthcare in the future. [8]


References

[1] World Health Organisation: http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_recommendations/en/index.html

[2] European Respiratory Roadmap, available from: http://www.ersroadmap.org/

[3] Tardon A, Lee W, Delgado-Rodriguez M, et al. Leisure-time physical activity and lung

cancer: a meta-analysis. Cancer Causes Control 2005; 16: 389–397.

[4] Pelkonen M, Notkola I-L, Lakka T, et al. Delaying decline in pulmonary function with physical activity. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003; 168: 494–499.

[5] Lacasse Y, Goldstein R, Lasserson TJ, et al. Pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006; 4: CD003793.

[6] Mannino DM, Buist AS. Global burden of COPD: risk factors, prevalence, and future

trends. Lancet 2007; 370: 765–773.

[7] European Respiratory Roadmap, available from: http://www.ersroadmap.org/

[8] European Respiratory Roadmap, available from: http://www.ersroadmap.org/

TOTAL NUMBER OF TESTS:

67, 262

Add your WSD results here

WSD is an initiative organised by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) in collaboration with the European Lung Foundation (ELF).