Fit India Movement
What is Fit India movement?
Fit India Movement is PM Narendra Modi’s vision of a fitter, healthier India. On 25th March 2018, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi pledged to take the Indian Nation on the path of fitness and wellness. He stressed on the importance of yoga for fitness and urged health and fitness gurus to take this forward.
Why Fit India Pledge?
Fit India Pledge is a refreshing welcome move for our Nation. It aims to increase fitness and physical activity. Physical inactivity is increasing the dual risk for abdominal obesity (or central obesity) and diabetes, as well as lifestyle diseases (non-communicable diseases). A study was conducted to assess physical activity patterns across India. This is the largest study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study. The statistics are staggering. Majority Indians i.e. 54% or 392 million Indian people are physically inactive. As high as 90% Indians have no recreational physical activity. This is the largest study on physical activity (inactivity) in India. Urgently initiate physical activity in order to reduce the risk for diabetes and obesity which are mainly the diseases on the rise.
Study: Key Findings and Facts
The ICMR-INDIAB study researched four regions of India – Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu to represent east, west, north, south States of India respectively. The study results were extrapolated to the whole Nation.
Key Findings of Physical Activity (Inactivity) in India – ICMR-INDIAB Study
- The inactive population is nearly half the population studied in the four regions.
- Chandigarh is the most inactive state in India. This is likely due to more urbanization.
- Urban Indians are more inactive vs. rural Indians.
- Males are significantly more active than females.
- More than 90% people did not do any recreational physical activity; particularly women in rural areas were inactive.
- Workplace is where most of the time is being spent in moderate to vigorous intensity activity. People appear to derive more of their physical activity at the work place.
- Less than 20 minutes per day has been reported even among those who do moderate to vigorous intensity activity.
- Economic status and physical activity are inversely proportion. People with better financial status were seen to be less active.
- Higher the educational status, lesser the inactivity. In short, increasing education is directly proportional to activity.
- Physical inactivity is highly prevalent and seen over the past decade even in the United States and in Sweden.
Inactive US citizens were 52.8%; among which there were 50.2% men and 55.4% women.
In Sweden, 31% of the population was found to be inactive. From these, there was 63% prevalence of inactive men and 76% prevalence for inactive women. Refer to the summarized report in the section on “Physical Inactivity by Country” for a comparative analysis of the research results. - Physical inactivity increases with age. Age wise distribution of subjects with no recreational activity in the populations show that there are
(1) 86.7% inactive adults in the age group of 20-29 years
(2) 93.2% inactive adults in the age group of 30-39 years
(3) 93% inactive adults in the age group of 40-49 years
(4) 94.7% inactive adults in the age group of 50-59 years
(5) 95.9% inactive adults in the age group of 60+ years
Refer to the bar graph data titled as “inactivity increases with age”.
Action Steps for Fit India Movement
- Get moving, Get fitter pledge means that you are recommended at least 150 mins of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week OR 30 mins a day 5 times a day to be considered physically active. These are guidelines from WHO (World Health Organisation). In India at the current time, over half the population don’t meet these recommendations.
- Get regular physical exercise besides being physically active. Get fitter and reduce your risk for lifestyle diseases. Save on medical and healthcare costs.
- Choose healthy foods, avoid CRAP foods, eat wisely.
- Manage stress timely.
- Consult a qualified nutritionist and dietitian for scientific guidance to eat right as per your health needs. Allow qualified professionals to find out your risk for lifestyle diseases. Get in shape now. Test yourself for diabetes and obesity. These are alarmingly rising at a fast pace in India. Take timely treatment for a fitter healthier you!
Pallavi Pinge is a Clinical Nutritionist and Dietitian | Content Director & Editor for health websites | has a passion for digital health and enjoys promoting health and wellness. She’s the founder and director of Ambrosia Wellness, where she provides personalized nutrition counseling, education, and coaching to individuals with various health conditions. You can follow her on her social media channels below to stay tuned in with the latest in health and wellness | Health Blog | Contact her for appointments |