Moving: the best weapon to preserve your health capital
To be beneficial, physical activity must be regular. It is essential to move every day!
What is physical activity?
WHO defines physical activity as “any body movement produced by muscles that results in energy expenditure”.
It is about sport, exercise but also other activities such as playing, walking, doing household chores, gardening or dancing…
Key figures
- Sedentary living is one of the 10 risk factors for mortality worldwide.
- Globally, 23% of adults and 81% of adolescents in school are not physically active enough.
- People with insufficient physical activity have a 20% to 30% higher risk of death than those who are sufficiently active.
- 30 minutes of physical activity per day = 30% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular accidents.
The benefits of physical activity
They are very numerous, we will remember in particular that physical activity:
- improves musculature and cardiorespiratory performance
- improves bone health
Regular physical activity reduces risk:
- high blood pressure
- coronary (heart) disease
- of a stroke
- of diabetes
- of depression
Physical activity is essential for energy balance, it reduces the risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity.
Physical activity and cancer
The evaluation of the relationships between physical activity and several cancer sites has been the subject of several studies:
- Physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer. 17% reduction for individuals who are physically more active compared to those who are less active. A dose-response effect has been demonstrated, as the higher the activity, the higher the risk reduction.
- Physical activity is also associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. 20% reduction in this risk for the most active women compared to the least active.
- A decrease in the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer is also observed in women who are not physically active (up to 27%).
- A protective effect on lung cancer has also been shown.
The main mechanisms that could explain the beneficial effect of physical activity on cancer risk would be related to its effects on weight and fat (especially abdominal fat), and on current levels of various hormones and growth factors.
In addition, physical activity could specifically reduce the risk of colon cancer through accelerated intestinal transit, thus reducing the time of exposure of the digestive mucosa to foodborne carcinogens.
Practical advice:
Increase your daily physical activity:
- Walk at least 3,000 steps a day or 30 minutes a day
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Get off the bus one stop early
- Eat out or pick up lunch instead of having it delivered to your workplace. Getting fresh air and walking will do you a world of good!
Avoid prolonged sitting:
- Stand up for 2-3 minutes every 2 hours, this is also an ergonomic tip!
- Why not do a standing part of a meeting?
At home, think about limiting screens. This is also a great example for our children!
- Why not get into the habit of taking a walk each evening rather than going straight to your couch?
- Take advantage of the evening to do some sports