64% of Europeans engage in physical activity at least once a month. They are mainly guided by the health benefits of exercise - 43% of physically active respondents said this motivation. These are the results of the "MultiSport 2019" study conducted by the Kantar agency.
Compared to the results of last year's survey, there is an increase of 2% of Europeans who claim to be physically active. In 2019, 64% (62% in 2018) of the surveyed people aged 15 and over estimated that they have physical activity at least once a month, including active leisure activities such as walking or cycling. However, only half of this group complies with WHO recommendations, remaining active for at least 140 minutes per week.
The study shows that 36% of Europeans do not engage in any physical activity. In this group, 53% are people over the age of 55. The authors of the report, developed based on the results of the study, consider it a positive trend that the most common reason for physical activity among Europeans was health concerns - 43% of respondents indicated this answer.
WHO recommends that adults aged 18 and up to 64 years of age should have at least 140 minutes of moderate or 70 minutes of intense aerobic physical activity per week.
"Moderate activity is necessary, including cycling, which is practiced by 31% of active Europeans, and walking, which was chosen by 24%," the researchers commented. According to experts, recommendations for minimal physical activity, that is, 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity, are fulfilled by no more than 33% of active Europeans.
Meanwhile, movement is one of the simplest and most easily accessible forms of prevention of so-called civilizational diseases, as well as an effective remedy for many of them. "Regular physical activity, according to the recommendations, is not only a method of preventing civilizational diseases, but also one of the main methods of their treatment, recommended, in particular, to reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function, both for the general public and for people struggling with diagnosed hypertension," the experts remind in sports medicine. The number of people with hypertension in Europe is estimated at over 700 million.
According to WHO estimates, lack of exercise is the fourth leading cause of death in the world, after hypertension, smoking and high blood glucose, and is responsible for 6% of deaths. Research shows that an hour of sitting shortens your life by almost 21 minutes. That's about 10 minutes more than one smoked cigarette. Thus, it can be calculated that an employee spends 8:00 a.m. a day at his desk, i.e., over 40 years of work, he shortens his life by an average of three years.
It is estimated that lack of physical activity can cause 28% of cases of diabetes and about 32% of cases of coronary heart disease; it is also responsible for 21-28% of cases of breast or colon cancer.
Regular exercise can also delay the onset of age-related diseases such as mental decline, senile dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. In the elderly, physical activity can alleviate these diseases.
"Regular movement affects both the health and quality of life of older people, allowing them to maintain their independence, physical and mental skills for longer. Pensioners who remain physically active can improve, in particular, coordination, body motor skills and brain functions," the doctors emphasize.
Meanwhile, in Europe, representatives of the younger generation between the ages of 15 and 24 (80%) and pupils and students (90%) are physically active. In general, Europe, with 64% of physically active people, has significantly reduced the European average in recent years. According to the Eurobarometer, the EU average in 2017 was 71%. Among the EU countries, Portugal, Malta, Italy, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria have the least physical activity. Live betting fans often search for immediate rewards. In such contexts,
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