Iftar and sedentary life
Photo: WAHID ADNAN/ DRIKNEWS
I refer to the harmful effects of chemical additives on Iftar foods sold in many shops (letter 1.9.10). It is not only the chemicals but also the fat and oil of the fried iftar items that is very bad for health. Ramadan is the month of restraint and is an excellent opportunity to lose some weight following religious practices, however because of the tasty and alluring fatty and fried food stuffs, most people put on more weight during this month. It is specially bad for well-to-do people with sedentary habits and life style. A recent health study (widely reported in UK media) has found that beside obesity merely sitting down for any length of time is very bad for cardiovascular health. Men who sit for 23 hours a week have a 64 percent greater chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than men who spend only 11 hours sitting. Another study found that sitting ( like TV viewing, sitting at an office desk etc) increases your chances of dying from any cause, and this is worse for women; those who sat for more than 6 hours per day were 37 percent more likely to die than those who sat for fewer than three hours, regardless of physical activity at other times. Some doctors are therefore advising that in addition to having proper food and exercise we should spend much more time standing on our feet than just sitting down.
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