Epidemiologists Call Sports And Physical Activities So An Ampuh Way To Prevent Stroke Diseases

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Head of the Professional Development Division of the Indonesian Association of Epidemiologists (PAEI) Masdalina Pane reminded the public to increase exercise and physical activity as an effort to prevent stroke. "People need to increase their physical activity to prevent stroke," said Masdalina Pane, quoted from Antara, Saturday, October 29. The researcher at the Center for Public Health Research at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) explained that heart disease and blood vessels, including stroke, the main cause of which is hypertension and obesity. "The diet and lack of physical activity are suspected to be the main contributors. That is why the Healthy Life Community Movement or Germas needs to be intensified in order to remind the public the importance of sports and physical activities," he said. The Healthy Life Society Movement, he said, includes seven steps, namely carrying out physical activities, eating fruit and vegetables, not smoking, not consuming alcoholic drinks, conducting regular health checks, maintaining environmental cleanliness, and using latrines. "Strategic efforts are needed so that Germas runs consistently in the community, because preventing disease is better than treating disease," he said. Pane added that socialization and education regarding Germas must continue to be intensified in order to increase public understanding and awareness. This, he said, is in accordance with the Presidential Instruction of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2017 concerning the Healthy Life Community Movement in order to encourage the public to prioritize a promotive and preventive healthy paradigm. Meanwhile, neuroscientist Untung Gunarto Sp.S. MM said that by actively doing physical activities, it will increase metabolism and improve the combustion system in the body. "Thus the body will easily throw away the remaining metabolism. For this reason, physical activity is at least 30 minutes a day and is carried out at least five times a week very well to prevent various health problems," he said. The doctor, who practices in a number of hospitals in Purwokerto, Central Java, said that routine physical activities can also increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. "Thus cholesterol will be well controlled, this is very good to prevent various diseases," he said.