Having a sedentary lifestyle is very dangerous and hazardous to the health as a new report said it is considered the new smoking. The report was released by the Conference Board of Canada and ParticipAction. It was based on a study by the Canadian Community Health Survey and Statistics Canada and is entitled, Moving Ahead: The Economic Impact of Reducing Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Behavior.
Sedentary lifestyle is characterized as the absence of physical activity. It is normally termed as being a coach potato. Lack of physical activity can lead to serious health problems like cardiovascular disease, mortality, depression, stroke, diabetes, cancer, obesity, hypertension, kidney stones and low back pain.
According to the report, when Canadians increase their physical activity by just 10 percent, it would save $2.5 million for medical expenses and treatments. The recommended average time for activity is 150 hours per week. Activities like walking; jogging or running can boost one's physical stamina, endurance and health. Hence, the national economy will rise at a rate of $7.5 million in the next two decades.
Louis Theriault, President of Public Policy at the Conference Board of Canada, says that this report does not say that people should engage in tiring and strenuous activities. They are proposing that people should get up the couch more and do some physical activities. Merely walking or doing household chores are considered physical activities.
There are many risks of having a sedentary lifestyle. Doing some physical activity will help a lot in reducing risks especially in the health of individuals. Doing physical activity like walking, jogging, running and even simple exercises will help reduce mortality and morbidity rates especially due to preventable diseases. Being a couch potato is like smoking, which can lead to serious illnesses and even death. The World Health Organization and other health agencies are working hand in hand in eliminating sedentary lifestyle and promoting an active life.