INTRODUCTION

Introduction

People 2020 target a multidisciplinary approach to increasing the levels of physical activity and improving health in the United States. More than 80 percent of adults do not meet the guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Working together to meet Healthy Physical activity efforts should address individual behaviors as well as the policies and environments that support these behaviors in settings such as schools, work sites, health care organizations, and communities.

The Physical Activity objectives for 2020 highlight how physical activity levels are positively affected by Structured environments, such as  sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and parks and Legislative policies that improve access to facilities that support physical activity. Regular physical activity can improve the health and quality of life of all individuals of all climes including Americans of all ages^{2, 3}.  The effects of physical activity is enormous; among adults, physical activity can lower the risk of early death, Coronary heart disease, Stroke, High blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, Breast and colon cancer, Falls form osteoporosis and Depression.  Among children and adolescents, physical activity can; Improve bone health, Improve cardio respiratory and muscular fitness, decrease levels of body fat and Reduce symptoms of depression¹. There is substantial epidemiological evidence for the protective effects of a physically active lifestyle⁴.

There is substantial evidence that physical inactivity can occur across four domains: work, domestic, transport and discretionary time. Each domain represents a sphere of daily life that is common to most populations regardless of culture or economic development and within each domain it is possible to be more or less active^{4, 5}. Historically, job occupation has been used as a proxy to measure for work-related physical Inactivity, but as technology and work practice differs between countries, work-related physical activity has received less attention^4-6.  In Nigeria, some bank workers are predisposed to factors negatively associated with physical activity, one of which is sedentary lifestyle. It was reported that the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle among bankers is high in Nigeria population⁷. Bankers engage in prolong sitting at work, on computers, documentation and balancing financial records.

There is the need to address and overcome the Lack of physical activity in job cultures, as some jobs encourage more sedentary activity. In recent times, affluent populations have become increasingly sedentary, with many adults spending 70% or more of their waking hours sitting⁸.  Sedentary behavior is characterized by an energy expenditure of 1.5 METs or less while in a seated or reclined posture. Common sedentary behaviors include screen time activities, such as watching television, working on a computer or playing on devices, and non-screen time activities, such as driving, eating and reading Incidences of disease, mortality and weight gain have been independently associated with sedentary behavior from physical activity^{4-6 .} Sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, double the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, and increase the risks of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression and anxiety. According to WHO, 60 to 85% of people in the world—from both developed and developing countries—lead sedentary lifestyles, making it one of the more serious yet insufficiently addressed public health problems of our time^8-10.

The purpose of this blog is to create awareness of the dangers of sedentary lifestyle created by Job cultures( bank jobs) in order to incorporate more active forms of work place practices, with the aim to reduce sedentary behavior while increasing physical activity and engaging in a healthier lifestyle. There is need for collaboration in addressing these needs.

The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) is a leading coalition in the country for promoting physical activity and fitness initiatives through national policy. They are a diverse blend of health organizations, associations, and private corporations, advocating for policies that inspire and empower all Americans to lead more physically active lifestyles. They speak directly to lawmakers and support national programs that meet their objectives. There is need to partner with them in order to achieve my objectives in promoting physical activity.

References

1.      Healthy people 2020, Physical Activity, Washington DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services.

2.      US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Physical activity guidelines advisory committee report, 2008. Washington: HHS, 2008.

3.      Trost SG, Owen N, Bauman AE, et al. Correlates of adults’ participation in physical activity: Review and update,1996–2001. Med Sci Sports Exercise. 2002 ;34(12)

4.      Hamilton MT, Healy GN, Dunstan DW, et al. Too little exercise and too much sitting: Inactivity physiology and the need for new recommendations on sedentary behaviour. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 2008; 2: 292-298. doi:10.1007/s12170-008

5.      Katzmarzyk PT, Church TS, Craig, CL, et al. Sitting time and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, 2009; 41:998–1005.

6.      Katzmarzyk, P. T., & Lee, I. M. (2012). Sedentary behaviour and life expectancy in the USA: a cause–deleted life table analysis.BMJ Open, e000828.doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-000828

7.      Jogunola OO, Awoyemi AO. Prevalence of sedentary lifestyle among bankers in Ilorin metropolis. Nigerian Journal of Medical Rehabilitation 2010;15:1-2

8.      Owen N, Sparling PB, Healy GN et al. Sedentary behaviour: Emerging evidence for a new health Risk. Mayo Clinic Proc. 2010 ; 85(12): 1138–1141.

9.      Loitz, C. C., Fraser, S. N., Garcia Bengoechea, E., Berry, T. R., McGannon, K. R., & Spence, J. C. Sociodemographic patterns of leisure-time physical activity of Albertans 2000 to 2011. The Health and Fitness Journal of Canada, 2012; 5, 3-15

10.  World Health Day 2002. Physical inactivity a leading cause of disease and disability. WHO.  http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/release23/en/index.html].