“Up to 5 million deaths a year could be averted if the global population was more active.” So warns the World Health Organization this Wednesday November 25, 2020. As lockdown is still on and physical activity is limited to individual sport outdoors, the organization insists on the importance of staying physically active despite the health context.
Furthermore, the WHO’s report has been released while data recorded to population isolated show an always-stronger sedentary behavior, with dangerous consequences to one’s health. The message conveyed is crystal-clear: the Covid-19 pandemic is no excuse to continue without any physical activity. “Regular physical activity is key” WHO emphasizes. “Being physically active is critical for health and well-being – it can help to add years to life and life to years” WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says.
In concrete words, WHO’s guidelines are easy to understand: adults should practice at least “150– 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity; or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorousintensity aerobic physical activity” to enjoy substantial advantages, the organization states. As for teenagers and children, it is even more essential: “and an average of 60 minutes per day for children and adolescents”.
Furthermore, the goal is to “limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly recreation screen time”. In France, public health organizations record an extremely dangerous sedentary rate in teenagers. A major health issue which consequences on one’s health of a major part of the population are already topical.
