Worrying statistics show how much time average South Africans spend being sedentary. Picture: File.
Two thirds of South Africans spend TOO much time sedentary
Worrying statistics show how much time average South Africans spend being sedentary. Are you one of millions at risk of illness?
Worrying statistics show how much time average South Africans spend being sedentary. Picture: File.
The latest statistics have found that South Africans are way too sedentary to be healthy. People who work an office job in South Africa are spending on average 17 hours per day sedentary.
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A study involving nearly 800 000 South Africans linked a sedentary lifestyle to physical health issues like obesity and heart disease, as well as mental health issues from lack of activity.
ARE YOU TOO SEDENTARY?
The study asserts that, on average, South Africans are sedentary for nine hours a night sleeping. Commuting to and from can take anywhere between 15 minutes to one hour, plus additional travel time sedentary for other activities like school runs, shopping, etc.
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On the work front, 90% of South Africans spend five hours a day sedentary at their desks. 65% of office employees spend seven hours or more at their desks. This is then compounded by, on average, two and a half hours of watching TV on the couch or in bed, say researchers.
What you get is an average of 17 hours of South Africans being sedentary in a 24-hour day.
JUST 150 MINUTES PER WEEK
According to the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination, 40% of South African office workers don’t partake in the recommended guideline of 150 minutes of physical activity per week. That’s just over 20 minutes per day of moderate exercise and the vast majority of South Africans cannot meet this.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FIX THIS?
As simple as it sounds, ensure you move around your office as much as possible to attain your 20 minutes per day. Research shows taking regular breaks from being sedentary boosts happiness, alertness and productivity.
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Beyond that, try engage in at least 30 minutes of light aerobic (walking/running) or anaerobic (gym/weight training) exercise per day. Then you’ll be on the correct side of South Africa’s sedentary statistics.
