VP: Prioritise body exercise, it’s healthy

VICE-PRESIDENT Philip Mpango urged societies in Tanzania to prioritise activities that give a body physical exercise since it is key in improving health and combating non-communicable diseases.

VP Mpango said this at the climax of Bunge Grand Bonanza in Dodoma, where he lauded Members of the Parliament for participating in such a worthy event.

“I am also pleased with the theme of this Bonanza, which says, ‘Let Us Love Sports. Let’s Build Our Nation’. It is an apt tagline as it aims to emphasise the importance and benefits of sports.

“I am happy to see that this Bonanza involved various sports, which gave every Member of Parliament a chance to participate.”

He explained that it’s risky not doing exercise because it has a big negative impact. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named physical body inactivity among the biggest risk factors that causes chronic diseases and deaths, followed by unhealthy eating and tobacco use.

VP Mpango highlighted statistics on the impact of physical body inactivity; according to WHO.”

In general, non-communicable diseases currently account for approximately 60 per cent of premature deaths annually.

“Inactivity is also the cause of approximately 2.2 million deaths worldwide and is also the cause of 15 per cent to 20 of heart disease, diabetes and several types of cancer.

According to the World Health Organisation, the risk of heart disease increases 1.5 times among people who do not follow the health-recommended exercise routine.

He further noted that sports significantly promote the economy worldwide as studies show that sports stimulate economic growth.

Thus, the construction and improvement of sports infrastructure are critical to the flourishing of the -sector as it’s a great source of employment and income.

“Sport is a catalyst for developing knowledge, especially for young people, and thus making them become wealth producers.

Similarly, studies show a strong relationship between sports and leadership. For a team to be successful, it must have good leaders which will enable players to compete with more techniques and knowledge than the opposing team.

Thus, by participating in sports, we develop our leadership skills. In addition, players must play with unity, collaboration, and standard methods to win. Through sports, we build the habit of working hard and together,” he said.