YOUR DESK JOB MAYBE SLOWLY KILLING YOU

54.4% of Indians inactive, says study

A sedentary lifestyle can be killing. Literally. In a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, it has been found that people who sit for hours at a stretch, without much physical movement, are prone to high levels of cholesterol and diabetes, besides obesity.

In a study titled India Diabetes, ICMR states that 54.4 per cent of people in India are inactive. The study covers a cross-section of more than 2,500 people.

The main reason for this inactivity is the nature of the work they are involved in. People who have inadequate physical activity are shopkeepers, accountants, software developers, bus and train drivers, pilots, individuals suffering from psychiatric illnesses and those who have retired early.

The term ‘inactivity’ in the study has been defined as sitting and working, where it involves the movement of only the hands and does not entail much movement of any other body part or muscle. Sitting and watching TV is the worst form of inactivity, worse than sitting and working at a desktop.

Dr Altaf Patel, director of medicine, explained, “Inactivity is where there is no daily movement of the body to its required level. Mild movement or mild exercise is also counted as inactivity as the recommended requirement is not met with. This is because there is no visible benefit to the body by doing that activity and hence it takes a negative meaning rather than a positive form for the body.”

Majority of the people who are suffering from inactivity are those with desk jobs. Experts say that inactivity can be reduced by following some simple steps.

Dr Sunil Kapoor, cardiologist, explained, “There are simple steps which must be followed, like a walk around your office or in the corridors for one minute every one hour. Even while sitting, do leg exercises and practice deep breathing for one minute every one hour. It is found to ease the pressure on the blood and allows it to flow to all the parts of the body, which is very necessary to ensure.”

For office-goers it is important that they take the stairs instead of elevators. With hectic work schedules, many are not able to exercise regularly but going to the gym for 150 minutes in a week to do aerobic exercise, can help. Women who are at home are more at risk as they generally do not move around much. Hence it is important for them to ensure that their movement within the house is maximum.

With the evolution of technology, physical inactivity has seen a major rise across all sections of the society making them vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases.

Said Dr B.G.K. Sudhakar, consultant cardiologist: “People sitting for four hours at a stretch without getting up is dangerous. We term it as ‘inactivity’ where the person has to work doubly hard to activate all the muscles and organs again. Hence, taking a break after every one hour is strongly recommended.”

WOMEN who are at home are more at risk as they generally do not move around much. Cardiovascular diseases are directly linked to lack of recommended physical activity. — DR B.G.SUDHAKAR, consultant cardiologist