For two weeks, from April 24 to May 5, 2023, the Belgian Cardiology Association challenges you to move more in a fun way.
40% of Belgians exercise insufficiently according to WHO standards. These standards are either 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate exercise (walking, gardening, gentle cycling) or 75 to 150 minutes per week of higher intensity (jogging, hiking, cycling).
Lack of exercise remains one of the biggest causes of health problems around the world, both physical and mental. However, we are on the right track in Belgium. In 2017, half of Belgians exercised too little.
Why exercise for a healthy heart?
Lack of exercise is linked to a 24 percent increased risk of fatal cardiovascular disease, a 16 percent increased risk of stroke, and a whopping 42 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, there would be approximately 500 million new cases of preventable non-communicable diseases (NCDs) if we stopped moving.
Moreover, not only does exercise ensure a healthy heart, but it will also have a positive impact on life expectancy. People who rarely exercise and increase their exercise level to 150 minutes per week (= 20 minutes of walking per day), see their life expectancy increase by 6 months. At a rate of 300 minutes per week (= 45 minutes of walking per day), life expectancy will increase by more than a year.
Every part helps
Recent research from the University of Cambridge shows that even 75 minutes a week of moderate exercise (= half the recommendation), 1 in 10 premature deaths, due to lack of exercise, can be avoided.
Sign up for the free online exercise program of the Belgian Heart Association
The Please Act for a Healthy Heart campaign begins on April 24th and runs until May 5th. Companies and individuals can register for this via the website.Please move for a healthy heart. During the campaign, participants will receive on a daily basis:
– Short and sports challenges to do at home or at work
– Exercise and stretching sessions to get you moving more
– Practical tips that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to move more.
