Most Greeks remain “stuck” to the chair. Almost eight out of ten they don’t exercise, and they don’t exerciseand 53% say they don’t even have a moderate physical activityfor example, riding a bike, participating in a dance team, or gardening. And almost two in ten Greeks spend at least 8.5 hours a day sitting. The COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to have much of an impact on increased physical activity Greeks and European citizens in general: 35% of exercisers reported that they reduced their physical activity, and 14% stopped it.

Here are some of the recent findings Overview of the Eurobarometer on the frequency of, or participation in, physical activity by citizens in the EU, whose officials emphasize that “despite the increasing importance now being attached to the promotion of physical activity in the EU Member States, Europeans, as well as Greek citizens, remain anxious high.” The survey involved 1014 people aged 15 and over from our country, who were asked to answer in the spring of last year by interview method.

Derby of the South

In particular, 68% of Greeks answered the question “how often do you exercise or go in for sports” never, and 9% rarely. 4% of Greeks (6%) exercise regularly and 19% not so regularly. Never or rarely go in for sports 45% and 17% of EU citizens. Only the Portuguese perform worse than the Greeks: 73% said they never exercise. In contrast, 71% of Finns, 63% of Luxembourgers and 60% of the Dutch regularly exercise.

The findings of a recent survey regarding the frequency of participation or participation of European citizens in sports are heartbreaking.

Greeks rank second in Europe (again after the Portuguese) for moderate physical activity (cycling, dancing, gardening, etc.), with 53% saying they never do this activity and 16% rarely (31%). % and 19% are the corresponding percentages in the EU). In terms of walking, 54% of Greeks walked for at least ten minutes continuously four or more times in the last week before the survey (compared to 61%, which is the EU average). Three out of ten walked for ten minutes straight one to three times in the last week prior to taking the survey, and 16% didn’t need to or didn’t feel the need to. 18% of Greeks spend their day in a chair more than 8.5 hours, 37% sit between 5.5 and 8.5 hours, 39% between 2.5 and 5.5 hours and only 5%, which is also the lowest percentage in EU, period less than 2.5 hours. Like the rest of the EU citizens, half of the citizens of our country who go in for or exercise, choose a park or some other open space (51% and 47% in the EU). 44% also reported that they use a route between home and work, school or even a shop for sports – most likely by bike or on foot (24% in the EU) – 40% exercise at home (37% in Eastern Europe). ) and 25% in the gym (13% in the EU). Improved physical condition, improved health, and relaxation are the top three reasons why people choose to exercise. Conversely, those who do not play sports mostly cite lack of time, lack of motivation, and disability or illness.

COVID-19 is an excuse

Contrary to the general impression that the Greeks abandoned gymnastics in the midst of a pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on the sport and physical activity of citizens is negligible.

Compared to the previous Eurobarometer physical activity survey conducted in 2017, the percentage of those who now exercise regularly and those who regularly engage in physical activity has increased by only 2%. As for those who already had some physical activity (including those involved in sports) even before the pandemic, 35% said that despite COVID-19 they continued it with the same frequency, 35% – that they reduced it, 14% – stopped and 13% that it increased the frequency. 8% of participants said they plan to increase their frequency of physical activity after the pandemic.

Systematic exercises

Ten thousand steps a day is a “recipe” for maintaining or even improving physical and mental health, according to the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other international organizations. As Greek Academy of Sciences professors Grigoris Bogdanis (Physical Education and Sports), Lina Pashu (Endocrinology), Charilaos Tsolakis (Physical Education and Sports), Panagiotis Halvatsiotis (Pathology-Diabetes), Evantia Kassy (Biochemistry-Endocrinology) and Theodora Psaltopoulou (Therapeutic-Epidemiology-Preventive Medicine), physical activity is an important factor in health, and its benefits include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers such as breast, prostate and colon cancer, obesity prevention, risk reduction depression, reduced stress levels and improved sleep quality. With regard to cancer prevention alone, available epidemiological data from the United States show that frequent physical activity and proper nutrition can prevent 40% of all cancers. The professors, however, emphasize that exercise must be regular, systematic, and not random, in order to provide a unique beneficial effect on almost all tissues of the human body and ensure the normal functioning of the body.