“Walking is man’s best medicine.” — Hippocrates

MORE than two millennia ago, the father of modern medicine recognised something fundamental about human health: our bodies are designed to move. Yet modern civilisation seems to have forgotten this simple truth. Today, millions of people spend most of their waking hours sitting — in cars, at desks, in meetings, and increasingly in front of screens. A typical day for many in cities involves commuting while seated, working while seated, eating while seated and relaxing while seated.

Public health experts describe this phenomenon as ‘sitting disease’ — a lifestyle pattern characterised by prolonged sedentary behaviour and insufficient physical activity. Unlike infectious diseases that generally affect us suddenly through infective organisms, this one does not cause immediate symptoms, but over time contributes to some of the most serious health conditions of our times. Physical inactivity has now emerged as one of the most important risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also called chronic diseases. These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory conditions and several mental health disorders. Global health research shows that insufficient physical activity significantly increases the risk of premature death. People who do not meet recommended activity levels face substantially higher risks of heart disease, stroke and metabolic disorders.

Recognising this threat, the WHO recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming or other similar activities. If you want to take Sunday off, then it makes 25 minutes daily, not a big deal, but with huge health benefits. Regular physical activity improves........

© Dawn