A physiotherapist, Professor Fatai Adeniyi, has said that daily involvement, which is physical activity that is intentional and repetitive, is the linchpin to healthy living, even though it is the least adopted of all forms of risk prevention and intervention strategies for good health.
Professor Adeniyi, a former deputy provost of the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan, stated this in his inaugural lecture at the University of Ibadan, entitled “Lynching the Linchpin: Healthy Living in Disarray.”
According to him, while common contributors to healthy living include finances and socioeconomic wellbeing, social networking, dieting, and peace at home and the workplace, physical activity is a unique and essential contributor to healthy living.
He declared that involvement in physical activity for healthy living is not a chance occurrence but a deliberate action that people must take to keep healthy, effectively cope with everyday challenges, and attain better living standards.
Professor Adeniyi said although humans are involved in different movements, when that activity becomes planned, structured, repetitive, and intentional, it is, then, described as physical exercise or physical activity.
“This is proven to help prevent and manage NCDs such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several cancers. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintain a healthy body weight, and improve mental health, quality of life, and well-being,” he added.
The don said that physical activity and exercise form a very important means of keeping the functioning of the systems together.
According to him, “In a single bout of exercise, many systems are simultaneously affected: the cardiovascular system, the respiratory, musculoskeletal, and even the body energy systems. The role of physical exercise in these systems can, therefore, be likened to that of a linchpin that keeps the systems together.”
Professor Adeniyi said that the relevance and utility of exercise are so remarkable that the user does not necessarily require sophisticated equipment to benefit.
“For instance, while patronage of the gymnasium is encouraged for those who can afford it, the reality is knowing what to do within the confines of the home will also provide good outcomes,” he stated.
He explained that the human being has deviated perhaps unwittingly from the design and specifications created for man by nature, and these actions led to the lynching of the linchpin to a healthy living, which is the physical activity.
“Physical activity has become a viable option for a healthy lifestyle and the need for individuals to invest in their own health through physical activity.
“The healthy population is encouraged to desist from self-rating of physical activity but to get accurate assessment and customised prescriptions for physical exercise at once from the experts.
“A referral for routine assessment of physical activity among all persons who present for outpatient care in hospitals is desirable.
“In all aspects, but especially for physical activity, there is a need for an improved synergy among healthcare providers concerning education, counselling, and interventions.”
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