Physiotherapist cautions Nigerians against sedentary lifestyle
NAN-HG-7
Lifestyle
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, March 17, 2017 (NAN) Dr Yinka Awogun, a Physiotherapist at the National Hospital, Abuja, has cautioned Nigerians on sedentary lifestyle to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Awogun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that staying active was the cheapest way of preventing such ailments.
According to the World Health Organisation has said that people who are inactive, use tobacco, eat unhealthy foods and abuse alcohol have increased risks of NCDs.
This includes cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
Awogun explained that every year governments budgeted large sums to take care for people with NCDs.
“Epidemiology has shown that the number of people with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity is on the rise and that the money budgeted for treatment is having very little effect.”
Awogun said that many people believed that having a desk job and working in an office environment was a sign of status and progress.
“They do not realise that this sedentary lifestyle has led to drastic decrease in their physical activity and increased their risk of disease.”
“We have to let go of our newly adopted sedentary lifestyle that we think is the civilised thing to do, maintain some degree of activity, even if it is taking walks round your house, you should make it a habit.
“Twenty to 45 minutes of exercise, twice a week, is good enough and will go a long way to prevent a lot of problems that could come in with diabetes, obesity, cardiac problems and arthritis.”
Awogun said that keeping physically active could help a person to control his weight, reduce the risk of heart problems and strengthen his muscles and bones.
He explained that physical activity was an important component of medicine that could help prevent chronic diseases.
“Right from our primary schools, we used to have physical activities but this is no more as some schools do not have adequate space for physical activities.
“When we grew up, we used to have inter house sports, everybody had fun. Everybody has one particular sporting activity he is interested in, the yellow house, blue house, it doesn’t happen that way again.
“It goes a long way and people are so much sedentary these days. Everybody wants to make so much money by sitting in the office; people spend 10 to 12 hours of their day sitting in the office without any physical activity.”
He said there was the need to continue to enlighten people to develop the habit of being active.
He urged governments at all levels to encourage people to return to a more active lifestyle as a way to counter the rise and costs of managing these diseases. (NAN)
OEO/EAL
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi