Omar Badjie, who was speaking in a recent interview with The Point, further revealed that this figure is mainly due to people’s changing attitude towards physical exercise or lack of regular training.
“If you look at The Gambia physical inactivity statistics it stands at 22% and this shows that many Gambians are not engaged in physical exercise which is causing a lot of health effects especially diabetes, hypertension among other non-communicable diseases.” he added.
He urged people to desist from inactivity and be willing to do regular exercise.
Dudu Dampha, a gym instructor, explained how he went through before becoming what he is today, recalling that he grew up in a chubby family.
“I easily gain weight. This made me vulnerable to NCDs. It prompted me to be involved in physical exercise to stay fit and healthy and now I am a gym instructor. This has positively impacted on my wellbeing.” he explained.
Dr Momodou Gassama, communication specialists at World Health Organization (WHO), revealed that NCDs accounts for over 70% of all deaths across the globe.
“Going through WHO statistics it is stated that on a global level nearly 2 million people die yearly as a result of being physically inactive which leads to contacting NCDs.” he said.
He reminded that being physically active does not mean one need to be a sportsman, noting that taking a 30-minute walk on a daily basis and any other exercises could help improve by stretches to one’s muscles.
Mariama Marong, a trainee, said regular exercise is crucial to build muscle, structure and to stay healthy.
Research has proved that physical activity or exercise can improve one’s health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 Diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. It can also have immediate and long-term health benefits especially the quality of life.
