ByDr. Zakia Khan
October 1, 2021(IANSlife) After exercising for about 30 minutes or so, do you enjoy lounging and watching your favourite web series? Just one episode or two, maybe five. You spend most of your day sitting in front of your computer, another electronic device, or just on the couch. If this sounds like you, then you are spending too much time being sedentary. And that could mean a possible heart disease in the making.
Aren’t you alarmed yet! As per WHO, approximately 2 million deaths are attributed to sedentary lifestyles, also labelled as ‘Sitting Disease’ or ‘Couch Potato Syndrome’. Sedentary behaviour refers to a sitting or lounging state, like sitting in a car on your way to work, sitting in meetings, or watching TV on the couch for an extended amount of time. It is defined as ‘waking behaviour’ characterised by an energy expenditure less than or equal to 1.5 Metabolic Equivalents (METS) while sitting, lying, or reclining.
Its damaging health effects are as follows:
The past eighteen months of COVID19 have aggravated sedentary lifestyle, causing more Obesity, CVDs. The truth is, even if you are physically active, being sedentary is still detrimental to your health. Working out doesn’t offset the consequences of sitting all day. It can be hard to change habits but try some of these tips. A little goes a long way when it comes to better health and can help in reducing your risk factors.
We need significant behavioural changes, especially in children and young adults, as they spend more time on gadgets than play. It is the parent’s prerogative to find out which activity interests the child and inculcate the habit in them. Whether it is cycling, playing tennis, or dancing, nothing is taboo to keep the metabolism on a high. Chores like tending to the garden, cleaning up the house, taking the dog for a walk will expose the children to physical work, which is essential to keep laziness away. Sugar-laden foods cause rapid spike and fall of blood sugars, which can cause a lack of appetite, so foods that are gradually digested are ideal for any metabolism and need to be encouraged.
(Dr Zakia Khan, Senior Consultant-Interventional Cardiology and Head-Cardiology Dept. & CATH Lab, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan)
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