Do We Really Need to Exercise?

Its been awhile i have not post anything here. Its not that i forgot this or so busy (which is really the main reason always) or any reason that i can tell but i always thought of this blog on how can i squeeze it on my overly busy schedule besides that i cannot find interesting article to talk to or discuss about. Gosh, how i wish that i can stay longer in-front of my pc without having irritated eyes and so tired already on my full time work as Administrative Officer. Lots of paperwork (always in-front of my pc) and human relations indeed. I even stop doing my regular running, walking and playing badminton with my so hectic work. I really need to organize things...

Talking about regular running, walking and playing badminton are all my regular exercise. I use to do it every week. One day running 2.5k, walking 5k on the other day and another day playing badminton for more that 2 hours. And now, its been over 2 months i have not done all of these. And i really feel i need to bring it back on my system. Thus, this article that i have found interests me more to bring back my regular exercise. It is very interesting since this is what's happening in reality that very few are aware of and this will give us answer on the title of this article above.

“Work out twice a week to stay in shape. Exercise 30 minutes a day. Avoid alcohol to prevent cancer. Drink alcohol to decrease your risk of heart disease. Do you ever feel overwhelmed with good advice? One day the headlines say one thing, and the next week something totally different. . . . Why can’t scientists agree? Why is coffee dangerous one week and harmless the next?”
—Barbara A. Brehm, Ed.D., professor of exercise and sport studies.

Health experts often disagree on matters of nutrition and fitness. Many people get confused by the glut of information on the dos and don’ts of well-being. However, when it comes to the need for moderate physical activity, there seems to be universal agreement among scientists—if you want better health, you must exercise regularly!

The lack of enough physical activity has become a serious problem in modern times, especially in industrialized lands. For generations many people in such countries engaged in hard manual labor, whether farming, hunting, or building. Granted, the high level of physical exertion needed just to subsist was often a strain on our ancestors, even shortening their life span. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, “in ancient Greece and Rome the average life expectancy was about 28 years.” In contrast, by the end of the 20th century, the life expectancy in developed countries was about 74 years. Why the change?

Technology—A Blessing or a Curse?

People today enjoy relatively better health and a longer life span than did those who lived centuries ago. This is partly because of the technological revolution. Modern inventions have changed the way we do things, and many laborious jobs have become more bearable. The medical profession has made great strides in the fight against disease, improving the health of most. There is an irony in this, however.

While modern technology has been conducive to better health, with the passing of time, it has also contributed to a sedentary life-style in large segments of the population. In their recently published report entitled International Cardiovascular Disease Statistics, the American Heart Association explains that “economic transition, urbanization, industrialization and globalization bring about lifestyle changes that promote heart disease.” The report mentions “physical inactivity and unhealthy diet” among the principal risk factors.

In many lands just 50 years ago, a hardworking man would sweat behind the horse and plow, cycle to the village to go to the bank, and do home repairs in the evening. The life-style of his grandchildren, however, is quite different. The modern worker may sit in front of a computer most of the day, drive his car virtually everywhere he needs to go, and spend his evening in front of the TV.

According to one study, Swedish lumberjacks, who in the past burned up to 7,000 calories a day felling trees and moving logs, now watch sophisticated machines do most of the hard work. Many of the world’s roads were once built and maintained by men with picks and shovels. But now, even in developing lands, bulldozers and other heavy equipment are doing the digging and shoveling.

In some parts of China, the motorized scooter is steadily replacing the bicycle as the preferred form of transportation. In the United States, where 25 percent of all trips are less than one mile long, up to 75 percent of these short trips are made in automobiles.

Modern technology has also produced a generation of sedentary children. One study observed that as video games become “more enjoyable and more realistic, children are . . . spending longer times on their game consoles.” Similar conclusions have been reached regarding TV viewing and other forms of sedentary entertainment for children.

Part 2 of this article will be "The Risk of Sedentary Lifestyle" coming next....