| Azlan Othman |

A LARGE number of the country’s adolescents do not engage in physical activities with 87.3 per cent of teenagers aged between 13 and 17 being found to have not achieved the target of physical activity, which is moderate physical activity for at least 60 minutes daily, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said.

Issuing a message to mark World Physical Activity Day, the minister said the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, through the Ministry of Health will continue to strengthen measures to promote physical activities among all ages.

He said the government will take into account measures outlined in the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030 approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2018.

Some of the measures have been identified by the Multisectoral Task Force on Health, particularly under the ‘Supporting active communities in Brunei’ programme, he said.

The Ministry of Health is also reviewing and updating the National Guidelines for Physical Activities taking into account several other factors including a person’s sedentary lifestyle.

The minister also called on the public to do physical activities for 30 minutes or 150 minutes a week to lead a healthy life.

“Let us continue to adhere to Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) teachings in which he constantly reminded his Ummah to maintain health, have a strong physical presence and avoid harmful illness,” he said.

“Exercising or physical activities can be performed with family or friends anywhere or combined into daily routine activities. This includes increasing workplace activities where we spend a lot of our daily lives, such as by increasing step counts and choosing to use stairs rather than lifts. Insya Allah, an active lifestyle can extend life by improving health and well-being,” Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said.

The message also added, “Physical and sport activities are emphasised in our religion to create a vibrant and intelligent society.

“Regular physical activities and a healthy and balanced diet have proven to help prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCD) as well as risk factors associated with it such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity.

“Physical activities on a regular basis can also help improve bone health and function, reduce the risk of falling and subsequent waist and back fractures, and can improve mental health, quality of life and wellbeing.

“As such, every April 6 has been celebrated and marked as the World Physical Activity Day. This year is the 18th occasion it is celebrated globally, including Brunei Darussalam. World Physical Activity Day this year is held under the theme ‘Active Life, Longer Life’.

“This theme is to remind us all of the importance of physical activity for health. According to a WHO study, less or no physical activity has been identified as one of the major risk factors for worldwide cause of death amounting to six per cent.

“It is also estimated to contribute to 21-25 per cent of breast and bowel cancer, 27 per cent of diabetes and about 30 per cent of total ischemic heart disease.

“The WHO also estimates that one out of five adults and four out of five teenagers (11-17 years) lack physical activity. Young females, women, senior citizens and those with chronic diseases are less likely to be active.

“What is more alarming is those who lack physical activity or do not regularly perform physical activity have a 20-30 per cent mortality risk than those who are actively involved in physical activity.

“The lack of physical activity is not just a health challenge but it also causes a high health spending. On an average, around the world, the WHO estimates the cost of spending associated with less physical activity is USD54 billion in terms of direct healthcare, of which 57 per cent is borne by the public sector and of that amount USD14 billion is due to the loss of productivity.

“As such, the WHO has identified the lack of physical activity as one of the key indicators to be monitored by each member country in achieving the goal of the Universal Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013 -2020. Specific targets for physical activity are a reduction of 10 per cent in those who did not carry-out physical activity by 2025.

“Alhamdulillah, in Brunei Darussalam, this target has been achieved with a decrease in the level of those who did not carry out physical activity in adulthood, from 35.5 per cent in 2011 (NHANSS) to 25.3 per cent in 2016 (STEPS NCD Survey).”