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Physical Activity Enhances Life Span

Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths annually
The space available per capita for outdoor sports is approximately 42 sq cm for Tehran residents.
The space available per capita for outdoor sports is approximately 42 sq cm for Tehran residents.

Life expectancy has increased to 80.5 for women and 79 for men in Iran, said Health Minister Seyed Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi on Sunday, on the sidelines of a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

“Unfortunately, many people in the country experience disability during the last decades of their lives,” IRNA quoted him as saying.

“Regular physical exercise is one of the most important activities that can increase both longevity and disability-free years,” he said.

The MoU commits the two ministries to propose practical plans to increase the per capita sport space in different cities across the country subject to the approval of the Supreme Council of Health.

The council headed by President Hassan Rouhani comprises the health minister, head of the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) as well as the ministers of interior, industry, labor and social welfare, education, agriculture jihad, sports and youth affairs, and head of the Department of Environment.

The heads of IRIB, the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee (IKRC) and Iranian National Standards Organization, as well as heads of parliament’s commissions of health and treatment and plan and budget, and three professional representatives from academic and health, nutrition and food safety associations are also on the council.

  Inadequate Space for Sports

According to the Ministry Youth Affairs and Sports the space available per capita for outdoor sports is approximately 42 sq cm for Tehran residents.

Tehran and Alborz provinces are at the bottom of the list in terms of providing space for sports per capita.  At present, there are 120 unfinished sports projects in Tehran Province and their completion will add an additional 10 sq cm to the per capita space.

Inactivity by itself can be a cause for cancer and many non-communicable diseases. According to figures released by the Health Ministry, 30% of Iranians between the ages 15-64 do not exercise at all.

“We can’t blame people alone for the high rate of physical inactivity,” Hashemi said, calling for measures to create infrastructure for sport and recreation.

Thanks to the efforts of the Women’s Faction in parliament, 0.27% of VAT (equal to 130 trillion rials or $330 million) has now been allocated to expand public sport facilities (including in parks), as well as issues pertaining to women and youth. A bill was passed in this regard on Sunday (January 8), with 194 lawmakers in favor, 20 against and one abstention from among MPs present in the 290-member assembly.

  Fourth Leading Risk Factor

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure. Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths annually.

Regular moderate intensity physical activity – such as walking, cycling, or participating in sports – has significant benefits for health. For instance, it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. Moreover adequate levels of physical activity will decrease the risk of a hip or vertebral fracture and help control weight.

Additionally, physical inactivity is estimated to be the main cause for approximately 21–25% of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes and approximately 30% of ischemic heart disease burden.

The WHO says increasing physical activity is a societal, not just an individual problem. Therefore it demands a population-based, multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, and culturally relevant approach.

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