Disease pattern in India is undergoing rapid structural changes over the last two-three decades with a sudden increased burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
If the necessary steps to tackle the menace of these NCDs will not be taken at present, we will have to pay a hefty price in terms of human suffering, disability, mortality, loss of productive man power, including heavy economic impact on families and communities.
The promising aspect is that most of these illnesses are lifestyle-related and preventable too in most cases.
Physical inactivity is one of the most important determinants in causation of NCDs. Physical activity is confused with exercise by many, and less people understand that it refers to all physical movement including that during leisure time, for transport, to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work.
As per WHO, physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage NCDs such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several cancers.
With all these points in mind, 18 health professionals from different specialities of the medical field like Community Medicine, General Medicine, Neurology, Cardiology, and Respiratory Medicine came together and formed this association:
Our goal is to generate awareness about scientific and evidence-based methods and life style changes to safeguard ourselves from these NCDs with a focus on Physical Activity Promotion among masses.
Our main aims are to generate scientific evidence, to do advocacy for physical activity promotion among stakeholders and also to generate awareness in masses to promote “Physical Activity” and other evidence-based methods as a measure to fight NCDs.
We envision an India, where young age mortality due to these NCDs is minimal, everybody has enough knowledge about possible ways to remain healthy and remain protected, up to the maximum extent from NCDs, everybody is empowered and enabled to lead a healthy and productive life and functional capacity remains preserved even in the later years of life for each and every citizen of India.
- Swami Vivekananda
In the present scenario, when lifestyle associated non communicable diseases (Cardio vascular ailments, Diabetes, stroke and mental disorders including suicidality) are leading cause of morbidity and mortality, it has become the need of hour to promote life style interventions like Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition.
SPPAH