环球英语 — 578：Physical Activity
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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Ryan Geertsma.
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And I'm Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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"Human beings need activity. Without it, they will not stay in good condition. However, movement and physical exercise save and protect their condition."
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This was the advice of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. Over 2,000 years later a man named Edward Stanley wrote,
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"People who think they do not have time for bodily exercise will sooner or later need to find time for sickness."
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For thousands of years, people have known the importance of physical activity. Yet so many people are not physically active. Today's Spotlight is on the advantages of physical activity.
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The World Health Organization, or WHO, is a UN organisation with special concern for the health of people everywhere. It defines physical activity as "...any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that requires the use of energy." The rest of us would call it ‘exercise'!
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The WHO and the European Food Information Council both encourage all people to be physically active five days a week. Many doctors and health professionals agree.
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This exercise should last for 30 minutes. It should be moderately intense - it should cause an increase in heart rate and breathing. It may also cause a person to sweat. However, it should not be so intense that the person cannot speak easily.
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This small amount of physical activity can have many health benefits. One common advantage is that muscles grow - and muscles are the parts of the body that control strength and assist in movement. Another common advantage is that exercise gives people more energy.
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Physical activity also helps to prevent some diseases in adults. In particular, it reduces the risk of several common health problems. These include strokes, colon cancer, breast cancer, and type two (or ‘adult') diabetes. It can also reduce the effects of some conditions. The WHO advises,
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"When somebody is active from an early age they are more likely to avoid many diseases. Also, normal movement and activity can help ease the disability and pain connected with these conditions. AND, people can enjoy the advantages of physical activity even if they begin exercising late in life."
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Emmanuel lives in Mexico. He discovered these truths when he was twelve. Both of his parents had type two diabetes. This disease affects a person's blood sugar and insulin levels. Emmanuel weighed far too much for his age. And he was showing signs of developing diabetes too. Then he and his parents attended a special class. This class was organized by Project HOPE. Here, Emmanuel and his family learned about controlling and preventing diabetes. Emmanuel told Project HOPE,
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"I did not want to become diabetic. I am very happy that I came to the class. Now, I walk for half-an-hour everyday and my clothes fit me better."
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Emmanuel was able to prevent diabetes by changing how he lived and by adding physical activity to his life. In 12 weeks, his blood sugar levels returned to normal. Now he weighs the right amount for his age. His parents also say that he is a better student.
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However, many people are still not active enough. In fact, the WHO says that 60 percent of the world's population does not do enough exercise to be sure of good health.
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The WHO believes that there are three reasons for this lack of movement.
First, more people are using transportation that does not require them to use energy, like cars and buses.
Second, more and more work and home activities can be completed while sitting. This means people are moving less during normal day to day activities.
And third, the amount of physical activity people complete during their free time has greatly decreased.
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This lack of physical activity is not only a problem in developed countries. People in developing countries have extra problems. They may live in cities with too many people, too much poverty, too much crime, too much traffic, and too much air pollution. Also there may be too few open spaces for exercise, and too few sports and recreation centers.
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There are two common reasons people give for not including physical activity in their lives. The first common reason is that many people think physical activity costs too much money. But the World Health Organization says this is not true. There are many ways we can be physically active in life. Many people enjoy things like running, riding a two-wheeled bicycle, and playing a sport, such as soccer.
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"Get a Life, Get Active" is a website that encourages health and physical activity in Northern Ireland. It provides many ideas about how families and individuals can include physical activity in their lives. It says sport or difficult exercises are not the only ways to receive health advantages from physical activity.
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"Physical activity is not the same as sport - you do not have to go near a sports field or exercise class if you do not want to. Walking is a perfect activity, as it does not require any special equipment. You just need good shoes - and it gets you out in the fresh air."
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Both the "Get a Life, Get Active" website and the World Health Organization say normal home activities can help. They say even doing things like working to grow plants or doing jobs around the house are activities that produce advantages for health.
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The other common reason people give for not being physically active is that they are too busy or too tired. But the WHO and other health organizations say this is not a good reason. They say that even breaking the recommended 30 minutes of exercise each day into three ten minute blocks is still effective. And physical activity can give a person more energy. So if you are tired, exercising can give you more energy to do other things too.
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What about you? Are you physically active? Or have the changes in modern life reduced your every day physical activity? Any age or time in life is a good time to increase physical activity. So it is never too late. By starting physical activity when you are already healthy, you will find it easier to begin AND to continue this healthy kind of life.
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