Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
President sets trend for a healthy lifestyle
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has been the talk of social media with his early morning walking routine.
In addition to his private walks along a Cape Town beachfront, Ramaphosa has also led a walk from Gugulethu to Athlone to promote exercise as a key part of healthy living.
While many South Africans have been bemused that the busiest man in the country has time for a morning walk, studies show walking is a good way to tackle burgeoning rates of obesity and other lifestyle diseases.
These have reached epidemic proportions in developed countries and are dangerously on the rise in developing countries like
South Africa, which has the highest levels of lifestyle diseases in Africa.
With more than 8 million people diagnosed as obese, we’ve joined the global heavyweights such as Mexico and the US.
These diseases are linked to specific dietary and lifestyle changes which include patterns of increased eating, drinking and smoking, along with reduced physical activity, and a shift to a diet high in sugar, salt and saturated fat.
There is no doubt movement is essential for well-being.
The general guidelines are that 30 minutes or more of walking every day at a speed of between 5km to 8km per hour improves your health.
And studies show that even when people don’t quite manage to walk for the recommended 30 minutes the benefits can still accrue.
This proves some walking is better than none. For those who still need convincing, here are six reasons to take up a daily outdoor walk.
Walking outdoors is ideal when resources are limited, as a study in low-income communities in South Africa shows. The community the research focused on was a highrisk area for chronic lifestyle diseases.
The study showed physical activity that promoted participation of rural communities is feasible – and accessible. The activities in turn addressed the growing burden of chronic diseases.
Walking in groups also adds an important element of safety. And it helps with motivation.
The American Diabetes Association provides strong evidence of the benefits of walking for people who have pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or even Type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common and is linked to insulin resistance (or a lack of it). Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not naturally produce sufficient insulin, and generally presents in childhood. It is not necessarily related to lifestyle.
About 7% or 3.85 million South Africans between the ages of 21 and 79 have diabetes. Many remain undiagnosed.
High blood pressure is a direct risk for stroke and heartrelated illnesses and threats.
Walking demonstrably reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Systolic blood pressure is the “first number” obtained when blood pressure is measured, and represents the pressure in the arteries at the moment the heart is actively pumping blood into the system.
Diastolic, the “second number”, represents pressure in the arteries during the heart’s rest period. The reduction can be significant enough to save a life.
Statistics show that one in three South African adults have high blood pressure, while 10 South Africans suffer a stroke every hour.
Humans were designed to move for optimal functioning, and were designed to handle walking great distances over many hours.
Walking can contribute to improved body composition, with statistically significant reductions in body fat. To put this into perspective, this doesn’t include any dietary changes.
Rates of depression have risen 20% globally in a decade. This places depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.
Walking has been recommended for managing symptoms of depression for a long time. It’s been identified as an effective strategy, particularly when combined with the positive effects of sunshine and fresh air.
Probably the best news: when individuals around the world participated in various walking programmes based on the review of these studies, no notable adverse side effects were reported.
Walking is safe for children, adults and older adults alike. – The Conversation
Viljoen is a course co-ordinator in ergonomics at Rhodes University.