SA pharmaceutical company challenges men to exercise to avoid fatal illnesses
A study conducted by cardiologists at Cleveland Clinic (USA) among more than 122,000 participants, doctors found that the risk of death rose substantially among those who led a sedentary lifestyle compared to regular exercisers whose mortality risk dropped down to 80%.
CAPE TOWN, November 19 (ANA) – A South African pharmaceutical company specialising in men’s health, Pharma Dynamics has challenged men this November to get more active as not doing so could mean succumbing to debilitating diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer.
The message forms part of the company’s Movember efforts to get men off the couch and moving.
Pharma Dynamics spokesperson Nicole Jennings said that while there were men in South Africa who made exercise a part of their daily lives, almost a third did not.
“The typical modern lifestyle that many men lead, which involves spending eight hours in front of a computer, another two to three hours in traffic and a few more hours in front of the television, is proving fatal,” Jennings said.
“Life expectancy drops significantly, and some researchers have even claimed it being worse than smoking and other risk factors combined.”
According to a study conducted by cardiologists at Cleveland Clinic in the United States among more than 122,000 participants, doctors found that the risk of death rose substantially among those who led a sedentary lifestyle compared to regular exercisers whose mortality risk dropped down to 80%.
Jennings says men who think they are too old to gain anything by exercising should think twice.
According to Pharma Dynamics, many studies have shown that exercise improves the muscle strength, balance, cardio fitness, metabolism, glucose tolerance and psychological health of the elderly, even those in their 80s.
It said men who are more active have lower rates of prostate cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and stroke, and are less likely to experience high blood pressure, depression and erection problems. In addition, exercise could also decrease the risk of dementia.
“In recent years, we have been very effective at eliminating exercise from our modern-day lives, but the trouble is our bodies are designed for physical activity and can’t function optimally without it.
“Studies have shown that an hour of daily moderate exercise wipes out the negative impacts of sedentary living, which can easily be achieved if some adjustments are made,” said Jennings.
“It’s best to combine a variety of cardiovascular exercises, such as brisk walking, running or cycling with strength-training using either weights or your own body weight.”
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Naomi Mackay
