Walk yourself Right!

By: Kyrah Fraser

The relationship between physical activity and health has been well established as an inverse one, so with an increase in exercise we experience a decrease in poor health.  Several studies have investigated the effects of physical activity on health and have provided evidence that an increase in physical activity will reduce the risk of premature death.

At present the majority of adults are not sufficiently active to gain the health benefits associated with physical activity. In South Africa specifically, the World Health Survey of 2000 found that 50% of females and 42% of men are inactive. Of the active population only 24% of women and 36% of men are sufficiently active, that is they redeem benefits from their participation. The survey suggested that the decrease in physical activity in the young adult population may be related to the increased demands on time and finance that come with starting to work and build a family.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) stipulates that in order to gain sufficient health benefits from exercise or physical activity, low to moderate intensity exercise/activity should be performed 5 days of the week. An intensity of 40-60% of VO_2max is preferred, that is the individual should experience laboured breathing and an increased heart rate. This type of physical activity will promote greatest adaptation in previously sedentary individuals. This intensity is also safe for individuals that have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle related health concerns.

Walking has been recognized as an activity that entails very limited financial cost and participation requires a limited range of skills. Walking provides individuals with an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as well as be physically active without the constraints of attending a regulated and structured gym program. It is a versatile activity that can be performed at any time and in many different settings.

While walking has been defined as one of the most accessible forms of activity that provides the individual with sufficient health benefits, the amount of time spent walking remains intermittent and rare especially among individuals employed in predominantly sedentary occupations. At present, the recommended target is 10 000 steps per day. This may be too low for children and too high for older adults but it appears attainable by the average adult.

Initially, trying to increase the amount of time you spend walking in your day-to-day routine will assist you in developing a structured walking routine. If you have an office job, try to spend 10 minutes in each hour walking. Walk to the rest rooms on the other end of the building, instead of emailing a colleague walk over to their office and relay the message. If possible, encourage a colleague to join you on a lunch time walk. Developing these ‘habits’ will assist you in reaching the 150 minute per week target and soon enough meet a higher target.

I also suggest investing in a pedometer and keeping a walking diary. This will provide you with instant feedback and you will be able to monitor how much walking you accomplish on a day to day basis. The 10 000 steps/day target will be tough to accomplish initially but you will find that you become more aware of how much time you spend sitting. The pedometer also provides you with instant motivation to be more active in your day.

Here are some ideas to help you increase your daily steps:

Walking with a spouse; starting a walking group; take your pets for a walk; park further away at a shopping centre; use the stairs; walk every aisle at the supermarket

Happy walking J