To be healthy, you have to play sports several times a week and limit sedentary lifestyle. Cycling, walking or sport, each physical activity is beneficial provided it is practiced regularly.
- Physical inactivity is responsible for more than five million deaths worldwide according to ONAPS.
- The social cost of physical inactivity in France is estimated at 140 billion euros per year.
42.5% of French people aged 15 to 75 reach a level of physical activity conducive to health, according to the Ministry of Health. Among them, women do less than men, respectively 33.8% against 51.6%. But what is the recommended weekly dose?
To be healthy,World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 practice, per week, at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity sport or 75 to 150 minutes of sustained intensity. In addition, the health authority also advises to do at least two muscle strengthening sessions per week. Finally, the WHO indicates that a sedentary lifestyle should be limited as much as possible, replacing it with physical activity, even if it is light.
30 minutes of brisk walking a day to stay in shape
In France, for adults, the National Health Nutrition Program (PNNS) recommends doing at least 30 minutes of brisk walking a day, at least 5 times a week. Like the WHO, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) recommends limiting physical inactivity.
Swimming, running, gymnastics, tennis… To increase your weekly physical activity time, you can choose the sports you want! The most important thing, to last in the long term, is that you like the disciplines. Do not hesitate, also, to limit the sedentary lifestyle on a daily basis by small habits: climbing the stairs rather than taking the elevator, making short journeys on foot or by bike, taking a little digestive walk after the meal… Everything is good to take to get some exercise!
3.8% of deaths related to sitting
A disturbing figure emerges from a ANSES report from 2016 : outside working hours, adults spend 3h20 to 4h40 daily sitting in front of a screen. A bad habit because, according to’National observatory of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle (Onaps), sitting for more than three hours a day is responsible for 3.8% of deaths from all causes and regardless of the level of physical activity. The ideal is therefore to take breaks: get up to move a little every 90 to 120 minutes maximum. At the office or at home, a walk of a few minutes is enough to limit the harmful effects of sitting.
Regular physical activity also helps prevent certain chronic pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, etc.). On a daily basis, being active and playing sports are also good ways to fight against overweight, but also stress and anxiety.
