More than half of the adult population in Taiwan does not exercise regularly, a survey by the Department of Health shows, with power-walking the most popular physical activity among those who do exercise.
The Bureau of Health Promotion’s survey of more than 20,000 men and women over the age of 18 found that in 2009, only 53.53 percent of respondents said they had exercised in the past two weeks. Data from 2005 showed that figure was 52.73 percent, leading the bureau to conclude that the -nation had failed to improve in terms of encouraging regular physical exercise.
The survey also found that while the percentage of males who exercise regularly rose 3 percent, the percentage of women who did so dropped by 1.5 percent.
The most popular form of physical activity was power walking, followed by cycling. Men typically prefer high-intensity sports such as cycling, jogging and basketball, while most women prefer lighter activities such as walking, aerobics, yoga and various forms of dance, the bureau said.
The survey also showed that people who are overweight or obese — those with a body mass index over 24 — maintained a much more active lifestyle, while those who were underweight were quite inactive.
The bureau said that even though many people exercise with the objective of losing weight, people who do not have a weight problem should also exercise, because lack of exercise can result in decreased stamina and a higher risk of osteoporosis.
People who are underweight and do not exercise are also at danger of having a weak immune system, making them more prone to become seriously ill.
“Research has shown that maintaining the habit of doing medium to high-intensity exercise regularly is key to being healthy and able at the age of 85,” Bureau of Health Promotion Director-General Chiou Shu-ti (邱淑媞) said.
“The number of exercising adults drops after they leave school and only picks up after they reach the age of 45, showing that most people do not exercise unless their health begins to deteriorate,” she said.
The bureau recommends that average adults exercise five times a week for 30 minutes of medium-intensity exercise, which translates into exercise that causes one to breathe quicker, but not become out of breath.
There are many ways to increase physical activity conveniently, such as walking longer distances to run errands, or when possible, taking the stairs rather than elevators.
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