New Delhi: A first of its kind national survey on sports & physical activity reveals that over 20 crore Indians are “inactive” based on international norms, & that girls in cities are most inactive.
Inactivity levels are based on WHO recommendations that adults should engage in at least 150mins of activity per week to mitigate health risks, anxiety and depression. Children and adolescents must be active 60 minutes per day – a number that is way off the charts for a society where parents and teachers constantly tell children that they should study first, play after.
“One of the biggest myths we need to debunk is that physical activity comes in the way of academics when actually it complements and enhances academic success,” says Swetha Totapally, regional director for Dalberg Advisors, Asia Pacific, which conducted the survey along with Sports and Society Accelerator, a non-profit organisation. “Physical activity and sport leads to physiological changes, mood regulation, stamina and cognitive improvements – which translates into individual outcomes.” The survey suggests that a fully active India by 2047 can boost GDP by over Rs 15 trillion annually.
We have to distinguish between sports and physical activity, says Desh Gaurav Sekhri, co-founder of Sports and Society Accelerator. “In India, we have confused physical activity with sport – so the words that come to mind are medals, competition and excellence rather than health, community, productivity.”
Among the most disturbing findings is gender gap in physical activity. Girls in cities are the worst hit because of the low proximity to public spaces like parks and maidans, as well as abiding fear over safety. Three-quarters of active time for the average Indian woman is consumed by household chores and caregiving to children and elders.
Also, urban inactivity rates are almost twice as high compared to rural areas. There is a pressing need to integrate physical activity into schools for 67 per cent of the students surveyed said their school did not have sports equipment, while 21 per cent said their school did not have a playground.
The survey – conducted in Maharashtra, UP, Odisha and Tamil Nadu – relied on focus group discussions with parents, blue collar workers, physical education teachers and students.
