Sports, as proven by many clinical studies, are among the most important factors promoting health in both developed and developing countries. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle is the fourth leading factor that increases morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases).
Non-communicable diseases are responsible for 60% of deaths and 44% of premature deaths worldwide, and a large proportion of them are preventable. The main causes related to modern lifestyle are lack of physical activity, poor diet, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. In fact, lack of physical activity along with smoking cause more deaths than any other factor.
Physical Activity and Its Benefits
Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity can include exercise, sports, household chores, or even leisurely walking.
Studies have shown that adequate physical activity generally reduces the risk of premature death, especially from cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and even some types of cancer. It is worth noting that poor physical fitness is considered a risk factor regardless of whether someone is obese or not. Thus, a person of normal weight with poor physical fitness has a higher chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than an obese person with moderate or good physical fitness!
Moreover, regular exercise delays the decline in cognitive function that occurs with aging and has a beneficial effect on brain health. It also has positive effects on mental health, with several studies showing that it can have an impact comparable to medication or psychotherapy in treating depression and anxiety disorders.
Modern Lifestyle and “Inactivity”
Humans throughout history needed to be active to survive. Today, however, modern lifestyle has led to “inactivity” (a sedentary life). Although there are no sufficient data for Greece, it is known that only 20% of Norwegians, 8.2% of Americans, and 5% of Britons have adequate physical activity! This is natural when a typical office worker’s daily routine in big cities includes taking the elevator down from their apartment, commuting to work by car regardless of distance, and sitting at their desk all day.
In 2012, the internationally respected medical journal The Lancet sounded the alarm by calling the modern lack of physical activity a “pandemic.” Dr. Jacques Rogge, then President of the International Olympic Committee, said: “Although the problem is acute, the solution is tangible. It is a grim picture, but we can do something about it.”
The Solution
Indeed, the solution is simple, economical, and does not require a lot of time.
Fortunately, in Greece, especially in urban centers, there has been a significant increase in people practicing sports in recent years, especially running, which is a very affordable form of exercise since all one needs is a good pair of running shoes. At the same time, cycling has increased, which is clearly cheaper than using a car. For older people, there are many Community Centers for the Elderly (K.A.P.I.) doing excellent work with dance and exercise classes as well as outdoor excursions, helping them maintain good physical condition.
Of course, all these are very good, but what about those who believe they don’t have enough time or feel too tired after work?
Although regular exercise is desirable, it is not necessary to run at the gym every day, be a champion, or participate in races. The main problem is not the lack of exercise but the “inactivity” in daily life.
Therefore, we need to change our mindset and behavior by gradually increasing physical activity during the day through simple habit changes. We can start with easy things such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, walking more and avoiding car use for any short trip, trying to stand up for a few minutes every hour at the office chair, walking while talking on the phone. In other words, we need to find opportunities to move!
All these small changes can significantly improve the quality of our lives!
Ideal Time for Physical Activity
The ideal amount of physical activity has changed over the years. According to current internationally accepted guidelines, every person should engage in at least 30 minutes of mild activity (e.g., walking) five times a week.
Technology helps us with the appearance of more and more special devices, smartphone applications, etc., that track our daily activity and assess our fitness and improvement, giving us motivation to move more.
Because of its beneficial effect on quality of life, physical activity can be considered a type of medicine — unfortunately, one that is still not prescribed. In fact, it is more important than medicine since its goal is disease prevention, not just treatment after illness occurs.
It is up to us to realize this and integrate it into our lives!
“Those who find no time for exercise
will have to find time for illness.”
(Edward Henry Stanley, Earl of Derby, United Kingdom, 1863)
Anastasios Deligeorgis
Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Doctor