Every morning, millions of Indians make the same impossible calculations before their commute. Whether to walk on a footpath that's either encroached or too broken to use. Or, share the road with speeding trucks and impatient drivers. Frustrated, they squeeze into an auto and waste their morning energy sitting in traffic, adding to an increasingly sedentary urban lifestyle.
According to NFHS data, prevalence of obesity and overweight adults increased by 91% among women and 146% among men between 2015 and 2021. An average working Indian in a sedentary job spends 9 hrs at his or her desk, and an average of 2 hrs in commute, leaving almost no time or energy for engaging in fitness pursuits. WHO recommends 150-300 mins of moderate activity a week. World Bicycle Day today is as good a day as any to underline that cycling - or walking - to work where feasible can go a long way towards meeting the minimum target of daily aerobic physical activity.
