Nearly half of Poles spend more than 5 hours sitting every day – we learn from the MultiSport Index 2019 survey. According to research, sitting time shortens life by 21 minutes, which is more than one smoked cigarette. On the occasion of the Walk to Work Day (July 9), experts remind us how important fifteen minutes of walking each day can be for our health.
As part of the MultiSport Index 2019 survey, Poles were asked how many days per week they walk without interruption for at least 10 minutes. It turned out that 18% of the respondents could not indicate even one such day.
– In terms of walking and physical activity, Poles are below the European average. According to Eurobarometer 2017, about 15% of Europeans declared that they did not walk even 10 minutes a week. In 2017 in Poland there were 7% more of them. It's much worse than in other European countries. However, in Poland, contrary to the changes observed in Europe, the percentage of non-walkers is systematically decreasing, from 25% in 2013 to 22% after four years (Eurobarometer 2017) and 18% at the moment (Multisport Index 2019) – says Dr Janusz Dobosz from the National Physical Activity Research Centre at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw.
Those who walk least often are residents of cities between 100,000 and 200,000 residents, people between 40 and 49 years of age and those who run their own business.
Sitting shortens life
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised sedentary lifestyle as the fourth leading cause of mortality in the world. Each year, inactivity is responsible for 6% of deaths (over 3 million a year). The MultiSport Index survey shows that almost one in two Poles (48%) spends more than five hours a day sitting. 16% of Polish residents sit for more than nine hours a day.
– The combination of office work and constantly being in a forced position can contribute to several adverse changes in the body. They include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, deep vein thrombosis (heaviness in the legs and swelling) and carpal tunnel syndrome because of unnatural hand position when using computer. That is why, especially for people performing mental work, the need to move takes on a special meaning – says Dr Agata Mroczek, expert in human anatomy and physiotherapy in sport, academic lecturer.
The National Food and Nutrition Institute included physical activity into the basis of the latest food pyramid. According to experts, exercise is an essential ingredient necessary for the proper functioning of the body, which cannot be replaced by any supplement.
Walking for health
– Walking is the simplest form of physical activity that serves everyone, regardless of their age – assures Dr Janusz Dobosz. Daily walking can even extend your life. This is confirmed, among others, by the results of twelve-year studies conducted by French scientists from the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, who proved that people over 65 who walk for 15 minutes a day can reduce the risk of death by 22%. In Poland, walking is the most popular form of activity among seniors – 8% of them walk every day. Walking also brings significant benefits to younger people.
– It should be remembered that even the smallest dose of exercise is better than no exercise. During a peaceful walk, the heart works faster than at rest, we get warmer, our breath also gently accelerates, which translates into better oxygenation and blood supply to the body. Nutrients and oxygen reach all tissues better. It also applies to the brain which after only 10 minutes of walking becomes more active and better prepared for intellectual effort – says MD, PH.D. Ernest Kuchar, sports medicine specialist, Head of the Paediatric Teaching Clinical Hospital at the Medical University of Warsaw.
Experts encourage introducing physical activity in the form of walks to the daily routine, e.g. getting off the bus on the way to work one or two stops earlier than usual.
Walking is the beginning of the road to physical activity
The World Health Organisation recommends adults (18 to 64 years old) to take at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 intense aerobic physical activity per week.
– According to the forecasts of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, if one in two physically inactive people began to exercise, the number of sick leaves would drop by 6% per year – emphasises Adam Radzki, Management Board Member at Benefit Systems, the company that initiated the MultiSport Index survey.
We would be healthier – not only sickness absence would decrease, but the number of heart attacks, breast and colon cancer as well as deaths would also decrease – by 11,000, 3,700 and 25,000 respectively.
The MultiSport Index survey was conducted by Kantar, commissioned by Benefit Systems, considering a representative sample of 1,858 Polish residents.
