Goodbye to sedentary lifestyles: 6 reasons for sports practice

How can we explain our tendency to remain still and how can we change this bad habit?

The first substantial change in human lifestyle habits came after the so-called "industrial revolution" and the second change we are now experiencing after the "technological revolution". Before the industrial revolution, food was affected by the variability of supply that existed depending on the time, and the need for effort to obtain food always came into play.

This fact changed after the appearance of large factories, when machines were responsible for the fine grinding of cereals and the removal of the bran and all the non-digestible fiber parts, which led to a greater speed of glucose absorption in cereal-rich foods. As a consequence, there was an abundance of foods rich in carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, and therefore, of rapid assimilation that invaded our diet.and, therefore, of fast assimilation that invaded our diet.

Today, after the advent of the technological revolution, these trends have been enhanced and advances have made available to all a wide variety of new foods of great palatability, attractive colors and irresistible flavors.These are highly palatable, attractively colored and irresistibly crunchy when chewed. Some of these products are very rich in fast carbohydrates and fats: cakes, pastries and pastry products, sweets, etc. All these circumstances, together with a sedentary lifestyle, have increased the negative consequences of insulin resistance over the last 50 years.

The population in industrialized countries is exposed to an excess of energy intake, mostly in the form of rapidly assimilated carbohydrates and saturated fats. Are we domesticating ourselves?

A brain adapted to hunger

Although we try to avoid consuming high-calorie foods in our diet, we are aware of how difficult it is to deprive ourselves of any of these dishes. To begin with, those foods with a high lipid content are much tastier, which makes our nervous system prefer them.

If we go back in history, the most abundant periods are those of food scarcity and famine, rather than those of abundance. For this reason, our brain adapted to have a preference for this type of food, which helps to accumulate fat and is an essential source of energy to survive long periods without food. The problem we have today is that the preference for this type of food is combined with the lack of need for physical exercise in daily activities, leading to the emergence of an overweight society.

These new conditions, applied to the population that carries the energy-saving genotype, cause many people to live in permanent hyperinsulinemia leading to a series of diseases. Recent studies have pointed to sedentary lifestyles as a factor linked to the onset and severity of a large number of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, high Blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes. such as arterial hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, among others.

Fighting sedentary lifestyles

In Europe, the European Commission's White Paper on Sport acknowledges that insufficient progress is being made in the fight against sedentary lifestyles and the promotion of physical activity.

The Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine considers that the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles is higher than that of any other risk factor today, such as smoking or alcohol consumption, since only 12% of the population practices adequate physical exercise. only 12% of the population practices physical exercise adequately.. 

This is worrying, taking into account that by regularly practicing sport you can enjoy a variety of benefits. Among them we can highlight the following.

1. Economic savings

A research carried out in Argentina by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Nation with the qualified support of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) showed that sedentary lifestyles are not only conducive to the onset of diseases, but also have a high economic cost for the countryApproximately 20% of the budget allocated to health-related organizations could be saved if frequent physical activity were encouraged.

2. Positive psychological effects

Higher levels of physical activity have been associated with little or few symptoms of depression and possibly anxiety and stress. and stress. For this reason, sport is one of the most frequent psychological interventions. Another of the advantages we found is the building of a stronger self-esteem, a positive self-image in women and an improvement in the quality of life among children and adults. These advantages may be due to the combination of physical activity and the sociocultural aspects that may accompany the activity.

3. Improves deep sleep

Restful sleep is like a fountain of youth, and exercise will help you achieve it. Regular exercise has been shown to help you fall asleep faster, as well as have deeper REM phases. At least 150 minutes of physical exercise a week will improve sleep quality.

4. Enhances cognitive processes

On the other hand, physical activity also plays an important role in cognitive processes.. A series of studies conducted by the University of Illinois in the United States found a relationship between greater aerobic activity and less neuronal degeneration. Likewise, several studies showed that some cognitive processes and abilities in the elderly were better if they practiced physical activity.

For example, in a study conducted by the same university in 1999, a group of people who had led a very sedentary life for 60 years was observed. After a 45-minute walk three times a week, they improved their mental abilities, which tend to decline with age. And it is not only at older ages where significant differences have been found; in the case of children who practice physical activity systematically, cognitive processes are better than those of sedentary children.

5. Improves brain development

There are numerous studies that echo the relevance of physical exercise on brain function and development. A study carried out by Chaddock showed that children who were physically fit had an increase in the volume of the hippocampus (a very important area for learning and memory).

In 1994, Thayer and his team found through studies in mice that physical activity increased the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin related to nerve growth factor, located mainly in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. This substance lengthens the life expectancy of neurons and protects the brain from possible ischemia.. In addition, he found that physical activity causes the muscle to secrete IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) which enters the bloodstream, reaching the brain and stimulating the production of brain neurotrophic factor. Therefore, physical exercise helps to preserve the cognitive and sensory function of the brain in better condition.

All these findings positioned physical activity as a neuropreventive role in different neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

6. Delays cellular aging

Telomeres, structures located at the ends of chromosomes, shorten as we age. Long telomeres are associated with longevity.

Well, a team of scientists from the University of California has presented the results of a study where they show that with the introduction of healthy habits we can modify the size of these structures.e demonstrate that with the introduction of healthy habits we can modify the size of these structures, and therefore, the predisposition to suffer the typical ailments of age.and therefore, the predisposition to suffer the typical ailments of age.

Concluding

Therefore, if we want to save money on drugs, have a stronger self-esteem, sleep better, have an agile brain and live longer and better, there is no doubt that we have to do from now on.

How much exercise is necessary to be in shape? According to the WHO, for people between 18 and 64 years of age, at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise and 75 minutes of vigorous activity. This can be increased to 300 minutes by combining with muscle strengthening exercises.

Bibliographic references:

• Chaddock, L., Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Kim, J. S., Voss, M. W., and VanPatter. M., (2010). A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume and memory performance in preadolescent children. Brain Research, 1358, 172-183.
• Duperly, J. (2005). Active lifestyle in metabolic syndrome. Bogotá, D.C.
• Matsudo, S.M. Physical activity: a passport to health. Rev. Clin. Condes - 2012.
• Ramirez, W, Vinaccia, S and Ramón Suarez, G. The impact of physical activity and sport on health, cognition, socialization and academic performance: a theoretical review. Journal of Social Studies, no.18, August 2004, 67-75.
• Ströhle, A. Physical activivty, exercise, depression and anxiety disorders. J Neural Transm (2009) 116:777-784.
• Suay, F. (2012). Per què som tan sedentaris?