Physical Activity: A Healthy Lifestyle

Run to stay healthy

Introduction

Physical activity is increasingly becoming more challenging due partly to urbanization and globalisation, with the attendant increase in non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and breast cancer. Overall, lifestyle change is important in achieving physical activity.

Why physical activity?

According to World Health Organization (WHO), non-communicable diseases account for about 71% of all deaths around the world, as well as the deaths of fifteen million people aged 30 to 70 years, every year.

It is proven that regular activity holds the key to the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. Also, exercising regularly will help you burn some fats.

Yet, according to WHO, about one out of five adults, and one out of five adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years engage in less than enough exercise.

Also, evidence shows that indigenous people, people with non-communicable diseases and disabilities, poorer people, older people, girls and women have fewer opportunities to engage in regular physical activity.

Financial costs of physical inactivity

Physical inactivity is a health challenge but beyond that it comes with huge financial burden.

The financial costs of physical inactivity are enormous.

According to WHO, physical inactivity is estimated to gulp about US$54 billion in direct healthcare, 57% of this is incurred by the public sector while an additional US$14 billion is attributed to lost productivity.

WHO intervention

It is for the above reasons that the WHO, on 4^th June 2018 launched the global action plan on physical activity and health 2018 – 2030, to engender more active, and healthier world population.

This could not have come at a better time than now. The action plan clearly shows the need and how countries can strategically reduce physical inactivity in adolescents and adults by 15% by 2030.

Twenty policy areas were recommended for action aimed at creating more active cities and communities via the improvement of the environment and creation of opportunities for everyone to engage more in walking, dancing, playing, sporting and active recreation, irrespective of age and ability.

The plan also calls for leaders’ support to the training of healthcare workers and other professionals, the use of digital technologies, and strengthening of data systems

“You don’t need to be a professional athlete to choose to be active. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator makes a difference. Or walking or using the bike instead of driving to your neighborhood bakery. It’s the choices we make each and every day that can keep us healthy. Leaders must help make these choices the easy ones.” Dr. Tedros

Jogging is a good exercise

WHO’s Advocacy campaign

The WHO went a step further to launch an advocacy campaign to support national efforts to implement the plan and promote physical activity.

Dubbed: Let’s Be Active: Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday, the new drive is aimed at encouraging governments at all levels to make it easier for people to engage more in physical exercise, and stay healthier.

This followed the WHO Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge event which took place recently on 30^th May 2018 in Geneva to promote physical activity for health.

It is interesting to note that implementation of this plan has already started.

For example, Portugal has launched a national media campaign to promote increased activity among its population in order to beat NCDs, and in line with the WHO’s recommendations.

Recommendations

World leaders, and in deed leaders at all levels should take urgent steps to create spaces where physical activities can easily be carried out.

This is particularly important in the cities where there are fewer or no healthier spaces. The advantages of being active are numerous.

Leaders should make the healthier choice of engaging in physical exercise, the easier choice for their people by creating healthier spaces.

National governments should set up media campaign to create awareness and promote regular exercise among their population.

The benefits of adopting healthier lifestyles including physical exercise should be properly communicated to the people.

There should be commitment by the national governments to develop and implement strategies to promote physical activity.

It is believed that with sustained global campaign and promotion of physical exercise, and the support of WHO to national efforts to implement the physical activity policy areas, the world will in no distant time experience improved physical exercise and better health among its population.

Conclusion

Physical activity is critical for health and must be taken seriously by all.
National governments have a major role to play in helping their people to be active and healthier.

They have to create an enabling environment that will make it easier for people to take healthier steps and improve their health and wellbeing.

It is hoped that when world leaders meet in September this year to take action on physical activity and other risk factors for NCDs, it will be success stories of full implementation of the physical exercise action plan.