Lack of physical activity has been cited as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality leading to at least 3 million preventable deaths globally.
According to the National Library of Medicine, a US medical journal, epidemiological research shows that 15–20 percent of the overall risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer is due to physical inactivity.
The journal further notes that physical inactivity causes six percent of the burden of disease from coronary heart disease, 30 percent of ischemic heart disease, seven per cent of type 2 diabetes, 10 percent of breast cancer, and a similar percent of colon cancer.
Apart from the health burden that comes with lack of physical activity, another drawback includes lost man-hours as individuals spend hours seeking remedy for conditions, they would have otherwise avoided had they taken care of their body weight.
“The economic consequences of physical inactivity on healthcare cost are substantial mainly due to indirect costs such as the value of reduced economic output because of illness, disease related work disabilities and premature death.
Mortality rates from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) increase with increasing body weight, and are markedly increased when individuals are classified as obese. Regular physical activity is a protective factor against unhealthy weight gain,” notes the journal.
To address this gap, the World Health Organization passed resolution WHA55.23 in 2002 and formulated a global strategy to address physical activity and health in 2004.In addition, a 10 percent relative reduction in prevalence of insufficient physical activity was set as one of nine goals to be met by 2020 in the Global Action Plan 2013–2020 for NCDs.
Back home, physical fitness instructors in Nyeri are now calling on the public to incorporate workouts as part of their daily routine to address the rising cases of lifestyle diseases.
Dr Michael Muriuki who runs the Nyeri Health and Gym, says that there is need to increase awareness among members of the public since the majority of diseases and stress related challenges affecting the populace are a result of unhealthy lifestyles.
“Some of the issues I have handled as a doctor such as hypertension and obesity are due to lack of physical activity and unhealthy diets. One thing I have noticed here in Nyeri is that most people believe working out and prioritising healthy eating is not essential. And this is how everything is wrong,” narrates Dr Muriuki.
The medic observes that people tend to go for quantity while preparing their meals without regard to the nutritional value, a problem that can be blamed on the difficult economic situation facing the country.
For others the question of enrolling in a fitness club is an unnecessary burden that is beyond their meagre income and therefore not worth planning about.
He nevertheless breaks this myth by advising such sceptics to employ simple activities such as engaging in early morning walks in case they cannot afford to pay for a private instructor.
“Exercising is not all about going to the gym, doing simple tasks like walking, stretching, using simple water bottles as weights are also forms of working out that do not require money. Also, for those with busy schedules, try walking to your place of work sometimes instead of taking transport, choose stair climbing over elevators or even set aside ten minutes a day to move around. You can also do rope skipping, or use a chair to do triceps dips,” he advises.
Veronica Ngina, Gym instructor at Alpha Cross Body fitness centre, says apart from keeping NDCs at bay, physical workouts are ready antidotes against stressful living and aging.
Ngina however says the majority of Kenyans are yet to embrace this health concept despite the therapeutic advantages that come with it.
“Mental wellbeing is important and one of the ways to reduce stress is by keeping busy or remaining active. In fact, research shows working out helps reduce the problem of substance use which millions of people hide behind as a temporary relief from their problems,” she states
.Workers who spend hours seated and glued to their computer screens have also been advised on the need to consider incorporating physical work outs as part of their daily schedule.
Ngina warns that sitting down for long hours has its share of health risks including impaired spinal discs that may eventually lead to long term back complications.
“Being physically active helps to strengthen bones and muscles and improve one’s ability to do everyday activities with ease. It relaxes and motivates you to work for longer hours without getting tired quickly,” she explains.
Hosea Mwaniki, a gym member, says he regrets that he never joined the fitness club before he had hit 40.
Mwanki who recently clocked 45 years now laments he has been forced to adjust to the rigorous workout schedules in a desperate attempt to reduce his sagging body.
“If I had been educated on the importance of exercising at home at a younger age, I would never be struggling with health challenges I am now struggling with. Nevertheless, since I started undertaking simple exercising at home, I feel more relaxed and even better placed to do my daily tasks without getting tired too fast,” he explains.
According to the Global School Health Survey of 2003 conducted among students aged 13 to 15 years in Kenya, only 11.1 percent met the required regular physical activity threshold of at least 60 minutes per day and up 40.9 percent were reported to have sedentary habits.
Again the 2016 Kenya Report Card indicated that only half of Kenyan children and adolescents were engaging in sufficient levels of physical activity.
Although these surveys used different methods, the low levels may have contributed to the observed increase in overweight and obesity issues among the children with four percent of rural and 21 percent of Kenyan urban children being overweight or obese.
The rise has been associated with demographic and social changes such as globalization, urbanization, aging population and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles that is especially relevant to developing countries like Kenya.
By Samuel Maina and Yvette Kimani
