According to the results from the Health Ministry's survey data shared on Tuesday, physical activity levels in 53.1% of women and 31.7% of men in the country were found as being low.
The data, shedding light on physical activity among the both male and female population, obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA) was presented to the public ahead of "Move for Health Day," marked on May 10.
The event was created in 2002 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote physical activity. Nowadays, more and more people lead a sedentary lifestyle, whereby there is too little physical activity.
According to data from the WHO, it is estimated that one in four adults and 81% of adolescents worldwide are not exposed to necessary physical activity. It is known that regular physical activity helps prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart ailments, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and chronic respiratory illnesses.
The Health Ministry's "Nutrition and Health Survey," in addition to the statistical data on physical activity between male and female groups of society, also revealed that 36.2% of second graders watch television or spend their time in front of computers for periods longer than two hours during weekdays. This rate reaches 69.9% during weekends.
Experts emphasize that 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week is sufficient for adults to protect and improve their health conditions. According to the information accessed by the AA correspondent from the General Administration of Public Health on the occasion of "Move for Health Day," any movement in everyday life using skeletal muscles and requiring energy expenditure is defined as physical activity.
Turning to children, who are relatively active between the ages of 1 to 4, their physical activity should span 180 minutes, according to experts. The recommendation for activities of different intensities for children between the ages of 5-18 and adults is 60 minutes a day.
