Basic investment in physical activity for health — Adeniyi

Prof Fatai Adeniyi, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan and Director of the National Center for Exercise Is Medicine (EIM) Nigeria, in this interview with SADE OGUNTOLA, states that Nigerians must adopt the principle of 'move more and sit less' as an investment in health.

Is exercising in the same place good for your health?

Exercising on the spot is not a bad idea because it's better than doing nothing. However, it is more beneficial if people can have a mix of the exercise programs they adopt. On-the-spot exercise, if performed under the proper prescription of an expert, will provide the benefits necessary to undertake such exercise. However, when there are changes of locations from point A to point B, the individual will derive more benefit since the body is not designed to stay put. One of the principles of exercise prescription is to ensure that the exercise prescribed is as closely related to the individual's lifestyle as possible.

What is the role of wellness exercises? And why should individuals be fit?

The roles of wellness exercise are so many to mention, but I will try to mention a few. When people engage in physical exercises, they benefit from, among other things, lower blood sugar and blood pressure, reduced body fat and weight, improved heart function and bone strength, improved joint flexibility, lower risk of falls and reduced stress levels.

Health and fitness are individualized things, so individuals need to be more involved in matters relating to their health to ensure they are in good shape. Fitness is not achieved by someone sitting in one place; people have to work for it. Physical fitness is earned. To be able to live a good quality of life, people need to exercise.

Exercise can now take any form and you don't have to have fancy exercise equipment. There are simple exercises that can be done at home and in the office that can help improve health. So the secret is to make sure you move your arms and legs and also cover some space during the exercise.

Exercises like walking or jogging in place in the bedroom can cause the same cardiovascular effect as using heavy equipment like the treadmill and ergometers. What is important is the speed and duration of the involvement.

Many assume that people with painful ankles, knees, or joints shouldn't exercise. Is this correct?

That's not correct. Whether you have pain in your ankles, knees or legs shouldn't stop you from exercising. Adapted exercises will indeed help people with painful joints to get better. Prescribed exercise can work like medicine; it is something that is used for the treatment of many conditions.

Prescribed exercise can be medicine for people with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis, as well as heart and lung disease. These people need guidance when exercising; they cannot afford to take matters into their own hands. However, walking is safe enough for everyone, regardless of health.

Generally, what impacts does physical activity have on general health?

Physical activity profoundly affects our health, as well as our economy and livelihoods. We need to start looking at physical activity as an investment, and then start applying all the investment principles. It is a known fact that we earn as much as we invest if the investment turns out well. It is also known that the benefits we reap from our investment may not necessarily continue once we stop investing. We must consider our body as a business center and physical activity as one of the main investments made in the business center.

Physical activity is not a new concept. It is a concept that has never been paid attention to but which happens to be part of people's way of life. The life of primitive man, unlike modern man, was characterized by round-the-clock physical activity, which was very beneficial for primitive man.

What does personal investment in health involve?

Personal investment in health is a set of activities or practices that people must undertake to stay healthy. The investment in this context can be to prevent or delay the onset of disease or to slow the rate of disease progression. However, the extent, pattern and nature of these investments may differ from person to person and from time to time. The range of activities involved can range from a simple smile, good sleep, diet, laughter, dancing and prophylactic drugs to physical exercises.

It is the prerogative of the individual to decide which sets of personal health investments they wish to undertake after careful consideration of their overall health status, affordability, utility of activity and interests.

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