Want to Prevent Stroke, Diabetes, Cancer? Get Moving … Now!

Worldwide, 81 per cent of school-aged children are not active enough. Photo: WHOBy Baher KamalROME, Feb 2 2017 (IPS)Tired, lazy, bored, laying down long hours watching TV or seated checking your email? Wrong. And dangerous: not enough exercise contributes to cancer, diabetes, depression and other non-communicable diseases. The warning is bold and comes from the United Nations top health organisation, which is urging people to get up and get active.And the risks of inactivity are expanding alarmingly: according to a new document by the World Health Organization (WHO), less and less people are active in many countries – with nearly a quarter of all adults and more than 80 per cent of adolescents being too sedentary.WHO’s Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs [Non-Communicable Diseases] 2013-2020 recommends that inactive people start with “small amounts of physical activity” and then gradually increase duration, frequency and intensity over time.“Physical activity can be any activity –not just sport– that uses energy… from playing and doing household chores to gardening and dancing… Any activity, be it for work, to walk or cycle to and from places, or as part of leisure time, has a health benefit,” according to the Geneva-based UN agency.Not really sure? See these 10 facts that the United Nations top health agency has prepared: Fact 1: Physical Activity Reduces Risk of DiseasePhysical activity reduces the risk of coronary h...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Environment Featured Global Headlines Health IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news