New Delhi, Nov 04: It`s not just rigorous gym schedules which can help shed the extra flab as researchers say daily chores like sweeping and scrubbing the floor, tossing a frisbee count, gardening and cleaning the tables too amount to physical activity which can keep you fit. "Till now only leisure time physical activity was thought of having the desired effect. But of late, researches worldwide have shown that whatever activities we do at work, home, while moving from one place to other and during leisure time are all important and contribute to keeping a person fit," says Dr K Srinath Reddy, professor, cardiology, All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences.



The World Health Organisation (WHO) has accepted the fact and is working on a global diet and physical activity strategy which will be presented before the UN next year, says Dr Reddy, also a WHO advisor.


The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) too has broadened its definition of physical activity to include daily activities. It recommends 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week, he says "most of these activities were till some time back part of an Indian women`s daily chores." "But with increasing sedentary lifestyles, inactivity is taking over and like Americans, Indians too are increasingly becoming prone to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. But the burden of these diseases can be reduced with half an hour of moderate-intensity physical activity five or more days a week," he says.

According to a recent study conducted on urban Indians, the inactivity rate in Indian women was around 50-60 per cent compared to men, where it was 60-70 per cent. Insulin resistance increases in the body due to physical inactivity and the immediate fallout is diabetes, he says.
The focus is now on highlighting the importance of physical activity in preventing heart attack, diabetes and hypertension, says Dr Rajeev Passi, cardiologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

The CDC, meanwhile has brought out a list of even less intense activities for those who are scared even of moderate exercise. These include playing video games, colouring, sitting in a whirlpool bath and "purposeless wandering".

The report says an hour of such light activity is equal to 30 minutes of moderate activity. Infact light activity includes almost everything that involves motion and shooting a pistol, fishing... anything that includes movement of "little more than hands and fingers."

"And there is no need to do all the activity at one stretch, it can be broken into ten-minute periods," says Dr Reddy. "We must keep active throughout the day to burn up more calories." Bureau Report