The Increase of Sedentary Lifestyle in Latin America After the Pandemic

Sedentary lifestyle increased in Latin America after the pandemic.

Foto: Getty Images – FatCamera

According to the Pan American Health Organization, one in four adults (which is equivalent to 1,400 million people in the world) does not perform the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day recommended by the World Health Organization ( WHO).

According to global metrics, women are less active (32%) than men (23%), and movement declines over the years in most countries. In addition, the most vulnerable populations, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, have fewer opportunities to stay active.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, levels of physical inactivity have been increasing, according to international organizations, especially after the confinement caused as a measure to prevent the spread of covid-19.

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That is why it is essential to do any type of physical exercise, either inside homes or outside homes. Aspect in which dance enters as one of the options. Dancing is one of the most frequent activities in the daily life of Colombians. It is not for nothing that this nation is known as “the country of a thousand rhythms”, thanks to its diversity of genres that, according to experts, are more than 1,025 folkloric rhythms.

Here we tell you some of the benefits that dancing can bring to your life:

exercise your heart

Dance is one of the most recommended physical activities for people at risk of cardiovascular disease, as indicated by a publication in the Journal of the American Heart Association, in which the results of a clinical study were published in which it was determined that people with heart failure who practiced dancing for exercise improved their heart health, as well as their breathing and quality of life significantly.

Keeping fit

Weight loss is another benefit if you practice it often. A study in the Journal Obesity found that a recurring dance program can be effective for exercising and losing a few extra pounds in the population at highest risk of obesity and cognitive decline. Remember that the most important thing is that you feel good about yourself and have good habits.

Flexibility and resistance

Most dance classes begin with a warm up that includes stretching exercises. Remember that ideally this should be done before and after physical activity to avoid muscle contractures or tension.

Likewise, it has been confirmed that dancing increases resistance regardless of the rhythm that can range from jazz, urban, traditional merengue and salsa -which cannot be missing in Colombian parties- to ballet.

Reduces stress and depression

According to the study “Psychological training in sports and competition dance”, dance allows to control stress levels, as well as prevent mild depression in elderly people.

Fight Alzheimer’s

The study “Dancing with Alzheimer’s: dance as a non-pharmacological treatment” found that frequent dancing helps avoid the effects of this disease. It has also been shown that those with this diagnosis are able to remember dance steps to their favorite songs.

Improve your self-esteem

Mastering a few dance steps, and feeling confident on the floor, increases and improves the perception you have of yourself, at the same time that it directly influences your self-esteem. Dancing is a social activity, so it also reinforces your interaction and allows you to meet other people.

reinforces your memory

Science reveals that aerobic exercise can reverse volume loss in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory and which shrinks naturally during adulthood, often leading to memory problems such as dementia .

2023-09-03 21:32:54
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