Comparative analysis of the level of physical activity of the population of two cities - Yakutsk and Vancouver (Canada)

Abstract

Introduction. According to the WHO recommendations, a person should walk at least 10,000 steps daily. 15 minutes of walking on foot at an average pace burns about 60 kcal, leads to an acceleration of the body's metabolism, preventing the development of disorders of carbohydrate (diabetes mellitus) and fat metabolism (atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome); metabolic processes in the myocardium are activated. Purpose: to identify the main trends in relation to daily physical activity of the population of different cities. Tasks: 1. To identify gender and age differences in the level of daily physical activity; 2. Determine the leading factors limiting the physical activity of the urban population; Objects: 148 people aged 18-78, living in Yakutsk (RF) and Vancouver (Canada). Methods: questioning 100 people living in Yakutsk [18; 78] and 48 people living in Vancouver [18; 70] Results: men are less likely to walk (33% in Yakutsk and 42% in Vancouver), and prefer to travel by private vehicle - 71% of the surveyed drivers in Yakutsk are male, in Vancouver the percentage was 65%. Most of the respondents (77% in Yakutsk and 68% in Vancouver) lack physical activity. The most common reason for the impossibility of walking 10,000 steps daily for Yakutsk residents was the presence of a personal vehicle in the form of a car (42%). Most of those surveyed (49%) living in Vancouver indicated insufficient time. The highest percentage of people fulfilling the daily norm in Yakutsk was found in the group of 18 to 25 years old - 38%. The indicators in Vancouver were approximately the same in the two study groups at once - 34% and 36% in adolescents and young people, respectively. The share of people who hike 3 or more times a week in Yakutsk was 22%, in Vancouver - 30%. Conclusions: 1. The male part of the examined persons is less likely to move by walking; 2. The most common factors that impeded the performance of the surveyed daily norm of 10,000 steps were lack of time, as well as the presence of a personal vehicle; 3. The most physically active group was the group of the studied persons aged from 18 to 25 years; 4. Residents of Vancouver generally cover longer distances than residents of Yakutsk; Conclusion. Shown a high level of hypodynamia in all studied groups. You can recommend using various applications for mobile phones, using electronic bracelets for calculating distances. Walking several times a week, for example, after work or on weekends, arranging special walks around the city, etc., or simply replacing public or private transport with walking, will also be useful.