By Yussif Ibrahim
Kodie (Ash), Nov. 10, GNA – Path Ghana, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to achieving health equity and its partners have commemorated this month’s National Fitness Day in the Afigya Sekyere South District of the Ashanti Region.
Hundreds of people attended the event which was held in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, Ghana Olympic Committee, National Sports Authority, Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service.
Participants engaged in various forms of physical activities as they drew public attention to the importance of being active.
The goal was to advocate for increased physical activity and also contribute to the reduction of the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in Ghana.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 22 per cent of adults aged 18 years and above as well as 81 per cent of adolescents in Ghana are not physically active.
Physical Inactivity has also been identified as one of the main risk factors for NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and some cancers.
The commemoration of the National Fitness Day in the Afigya Kwabre South formed part of the implementation of the Community Sport and Health Cooperation initiative by PATH and its partners.
Ghana is one of five countries implementing the initiative which seeks to strengthen ties between sports, health and other sectors by implementing co-created and sports-based community programmes.
It leverages community sport and physical activity to promote healthy lives and achieve the WHO target of a 15 per cent relative reduction in global prevalence of physical inactivity.
A press release issued by Path Ghana in commemoration of the day, said regular physical activity helps to prevent NCDs such as heart disease and diabetes.
The release signed by Dr. Robert Yeboah, Senior Technical Advisor, Non-Communicable Diseases, PATH Ghana, said research has shown that just 30 minutes of physical activity or exercise has significant health benefit for hearts, bodies and minds.
It said NCDs continue to burden health systems with insufficiently active individuals facing a 30 per cent increased risk of premature death.
“Promoting physical activity is a key strategy to prevent NCDs, enhance well-being, mental health, cognitive skills and improve overall health,” the release concluded.
GNA