President Yoweri Museveni is set to participate in activities to mark the launch of the National Day of Physical Activity including an 8 kilometre walk, tomorrow at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.
Government will tomorrow, July 8, hold the very first National Day of Physical Activity, an event that was recently approved by Cabinet. According to the Ministry of Health, the day will raise awareness on the importance of physical exercise in reducing Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Uganda.
The day’s activities will run under the theme “Be Physically Active, Be Healthy”.
The President will be the chief walker in the 8km walk which will start at 6am at Kololo Independence grounds.
“In order to sensitize you people, I call upon you to join me at Kololo Independence Grounds on July 8 as we launch the National Day of Physical Activity. I hope to see you at the walk, to shed off the fat so that you can live longer and we enjoy your contribution,” Museveni said in a recent address on Non Communicable Diseases.
Museveni will later address participants on issues regarding proper nutrition, physical exercising and other forms of healthy lifestyle as means to eliminate NCDs like Hypertension, Cancers and Diabetes.
Ahead of tomorrow’s activities, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine tweeted; “It’s gonna be fun, rewarding, nice and healthy. We call upon mothers to take the lead, fathers to join the queue, campusers, high school students, primary pupils, boda boda teams, taxi operators, business fraternity, medics, teachers, and practically everyone to join”.
Other activities will include a fitness clinic, aerobics, football, netball, volleyball, among others.
The Ministry has also organized free screening services for Cancer, Heart diseases, Sickle cell disease, Hepatitis B, among others.
Minister of Health, Dr Ruth Aceng recently told reporters that adults aged between 50 to 69 are more physically inactive (7.8%) in Uganda compared to the younger age groups, 18 to 29 (4.1%) and 30 to 49 (3.2%). The NCD Risk Factor Survey conducted in 2014 rated physical inactivity among adults in the urban population higher (8%) compared to those in rural areas at 3.5%.
Physical activity is any form of bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
“Physical inactivity is reported as the 4th leading risk factor for death in the world. One in every four adults is not physically active enough,” the Minister said.
She appealed to Ugandans to engage in physical activity by dedicating at least 30 minutes to an hour every day to burn excess calories, among others. This, she said, should be supplemented by eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing intake of salt and sugars, ceasing to smoke and limited consumption of alcohol.