Posted on April 1, 2002 at 12:43 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — April 7 is designated World Health Day by the World Health Organization (WHO). The theme for this year is “Move for Health” to call attention to the importance of physical activity. The UAB School of Education’s Department of Human Studies, which offers programs in physical education and research, provides the following tip for increasing physical activity.

Finding the time to exercise is challenging for many of today’s busy adults. And modern conveniences, from riding lawn mowers and computer games to television remotes, have made the public less active. But if you don’t have time to go to the gym, performing everyday tasks the old-fashion way can help give you the workout you need to maintain good health, says UAB exercise physiologist Gary Hunter, Ph.D., from the School of Education. “Exercise training is helpful,” Hunter said, “but increasing the amount of physical activity in everyday tasks is also beneficial.”

“You can choose to walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator,” Hunter said. “Push a lawn mower instead of using a riding mower. Rake leaves instead of using a leaf blower or take short walks in the course of a day. There are numerous opportunities to become more active.” Hunter says that by taking these steps, a person can burn an extra 100 to 200 calories every day. “That may not sound like much, but over the long term, it would account for enough calories to prevent a 10-15 point weight gain over a year.” Moreover, says Hunter, increasing the amount of everyday physical activities can help reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

BACKGROUND

According to estimates by the WHO, “the lack of activity leads to more than 2 million deaths per year. It is likely that one-third of cancers can be prevented by maintaining a healthy diet, normal weight and physical activity throughout one’s life. A combination of improper diet, lack of physical activity and tobacco use are estimated to be the cause of up to 80 percent of premature coronary heart disease. In countries as diverse as China, Finland and the United States, studies have shown that even relatively modest lifestyle changes are sufficient to prevent the development of almost 60 percent of Type 2 diabetes cases.”