The nation’s Ministry of Health, through the National Directorate for Comprehensive Approach to Non-Communicable Diseases (DNAIENT), today, by zoom, held a meeting with county leaders to advance in promoting physical activity in every jurisdiction.
Within the framework of the International Day of Physical Activity, which was celebrated on April 6, the meeting presented the main lines of work carried out by the national program to combat resettlement, and the obstacles in each governorate were analyzed. In contrast, the importance of establishing intersectoral linkages to promote more physically active and healthy environments is addressed.
The opening was led by Minister of Access to Health, Sandra Terrado, who said, “We all face a huge challenge, with the numbers indicating that a sedentary lifestyle is on the rise. As a pediatrician, I tell them that it is difficult to adopt healthy habits when they are not integrated as children.” The official pointed out that the situation worsened during the outbreak of the epidemic: “It is necessary to encourage the practice of physical activity while respecting care measures.”
Worldwide, one in four adults and four in five adolescents do not engage in adequate physical activity, according to WHO data. In our country, according to the Fourth National Survey of Risk Factors, 44.2% of adults do not comply with global recommendations for physical activity according to age. According to the Global School Health Survey (EMSE), 83.5% of adolescents do not engage in the recommended physical exercise.
Faced with this situation, the National Anti-Inactivity Program seeks to reduce insufficient physical activity and sedentary behavior in all Argentines. “It is important to build a federal perspective that focuses on promoting physical activity as an integral part of the health of Argentines,” said Under Secretary of Health, Juan Manuel Castelli.
During the event, the new coordinator of the National Anti-Resettlement Program, Matthias Appal, was introduced, who said that “Various materials are being produced for health teams and the general population. At the same time, we are participating in programming DNAIENT’s virtual exercises to strengthen and train health teams on this topic”.
The Ministry of Health recommends incorporating physical activity into daily life, reducing sedentary behavior, and achieving at least thirty minutes of daily physical activity for adults and one hour for children and adolescents, and if possible, regulate the activity at a specific time and stick to it. Physical activity allows, in the context of a pandemic, to strengthen the immune system, prevent diseases, and improve the health and quality of life of the population.
