Every fifth person in Serbia is obese, and every third is on the threshold of obesity. These were the data before the arrival of the corona virus. Different periods of the pandemic, which is still ongoing, brought different reactions to the situation, and therefore to habits in terms of nutrition and physical activity.
“The first studies showed that immediately after the start of the pandemic, we were still struggling to be physically active,” said Dr. Sanja Mazić, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade.
According to her, the further reduction in activity came later during the pandemic, and the reactions were also different when looking at countries. For example, in Italy, after just five days, a 15 percent reduction in physical activity was recorded. The same drop in Japan happened only after 27 days.
“As time went on, we were less and less active. It is considered that we have gained weight on a global level, and that is somewhere around 27 percent, but it depends on the country,” emphasized Dr. Mazić.
A large percentage of mortality 45 in men and even 50 percent of mortality in women is caused by obesity. In Serbia, the frequency of death from cardiovascular diseases is 52 percent. These diseases are closely related to obesity.
“We should not forget tumors either. We don’t associate them with physical activity, but they are represented by 21 percent and it has been proven that physical inactivity is directly related to tumors of the colon, uterus, and breast,” Professor Mazić points out.
Many diseases that do not have a fatal outcome such as depression, sterility, diseases of the bone and joint system can be the result of obesity.
“We think we are a sports nation, but the data refutes us. In our country, only 4.4 percent reach the prescribed dose of physical activity that improves health, and only 8.8 percent of the population is active,” warned Dr. Mazić, adding that to burn just one kilogram of fat, it is necessary to consume 9,300 calories.
We must be physically active, emphasizes Dr. Mazić, along with a proper diet because that is one way to maintain an adequate body weight.
Physical activity is also associated with positive feelings, cognition, health of the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, and metabolism. There is no biological function of the organism on which physical activity does not have a beneficial effect.
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