According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is among the top 10 causes of death and disability worldwide: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and increases the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression and anxiety.
Sedentary lifestyles, which affect 60 to 85% of the world's population, are considered by the WHO to be one of the most serious public health problems of our time. It estimates that two thirds of children do not get enough physical activity, which will have serious consequences for their health in the future 2 .
Canadians, for their part, spend nearly 2/3 of their waking hours doing sedentary activities 3 . Obviously, it is undeniable that the arrival of new technologies has greatly contributed to this. The Institut de la statistique du Québec has found that the practice of leisure activities related to screens is very widespread among young people. More than 9 out of 10 young people spend at least one hour per week in front of the computer (95%) or television (94%) 4 .
We tend to do less physical effort, both at work and in our leisure time. For example, simply spending all of our working hours sitting down, with our eyes glued to our computers, could be one of the causes of the increase in several chronic diseases.
There are many ways to incorporate physical activity into our daily lives. It doesn't have to be very intense and difficult, sometimes just a few extra steps in a day is enough. Physical activity gives us energy, reduces stress and makes us stronger. In addition, it helps prevent diseases such as cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.
It is for these reasons that we have decided to list some ways to move a little more in a day.
Set a goal
Being aware of the problem and trying to solve it is already a very big step towards the solution. So setting an achievable goal of how many steps you take per day is great.
Based on numerous studies, the WHO and the American Heart Association recommend taking 10,000 steps per day 5 , a goal corresponding to public health standards that recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate activity daily 6 , to improve our health and stay in shape.
Various studies report that health benefits are derived from 7,500 steps in a day: increased metabolism and energy, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, body mass index, blood pressure and waist circumference 6 .
For those who are more sedentary, a goal of 7,500 steps would therefore be more realistic.
To achieve this, we choose to do our errands on foot instead of taking the car. We can take advantage of lunch time at work to go for a walk outside. We can even sign up for a class that we like a few times a week. In short, the important thing is to set a goal and try to achieve it. As time goes on, you will be able to push your limits again and again.
Swap the elevator for the stairs
Instead of taking the elevator to the office, the mall, or the condo, we take the stairs to strengthen our thighs and buttocks. This allows us to take more steps and therefore achieve goals such as those mentioned above, and it also allows us to stay muscular!
At work, stop and get up
At work, take a few minutes, once an hour, to stretch or go fill your water bottle in the kitchen to stretch your legs. If you work in a seated position, you can buy a ball to improve your posture, you can also get up and go see your colleagues directly instead of sending them an email. These are small, simple but effective tips to increase your physical activity and reduce the frequency of sedentary moments.
Standing on public transport
When taking public transportation, it is recommended to give up your seat to others and stand. This engages the muscles in your body and prevents you from sitting down again. In addition, you might make someone happy if they are having a difficult day or are older.
Make household chores more enjoyable
Do you have some cleaning to do around the house? Why not take advantage of it by putting on your favorite music, which will get your body moving to the beat? This is one more reason to move and have fun doing a less pleasant task. You can even do it as a family, it makes the activity even more fun!
Do an activity with the children
We know that children need to move for healthy development. Nowadays, they go out less to play, captivated by the screens in the house.
On the other hand, getting them to go outside and play is great for them, and for the parents too. When the kids go outside to build a snowman or play basketball, go outside with them! Get some fresh air and stretch your legs, even if it's been an exhausting day. And if you don't have kids, it's easy! Go get your nieces/nephews or even the little neighbor next door to play. You'll definitely make some people happy!
Sources:
- https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/being-active/your-health-physical-activity.html#a1
- https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/release23/en/
- https://www.ulaval.ca/mon-equilibre-ul/unite-mobile/la-sedentarite.html
- http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/statistiques/sante/bulletins/zoom-sante-201504.pdf
- https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_myths/en/
- Choi BC 1, Pak AW, Choi JC, Choi EC. Daily step goal of 10,000 steps: a literature review. Clin Invest Med. 2007;30(3):E146-51