Exercise: a lot can be achieved with relatively little effort

When initial reports of a new virus in China emerged in the Swiss me­ dia in January 2020, most of us had no idea how this virus would change our lives. Above all, we couldn’t imagine how many areas of our lives would be affected by this pathogen. In this issue of spec­tra we want to focus on one of these areas: exercise. How has the pandemic changed our exercise habits? What can we do to improve our exercise habits? But also: What positive effects do physical activity and sport have on our health, and how can we use them to strengthen our immune system?

The pandemic certainly trig­gered positive developments in re­lation to physical activity: Many people exercised more, using their time in the lockdown for yoga, jog­ ging, going for walks during the lunch break and finally going out on their bike, as they had been planning to do for ages. The pan­demic has motivated people to change certain things in their lives – including in relation to exercise and sport.

Another positive effect has been observed in nutrition: Many people in Switzerland discovered local producers and acquired a taste for fresh foods from their re­gion, while purchases from the butcher in the village or local dis­trict have increased significantly. This conscious nutrition in combi­nation with more physical activity caused some people to lose weight. But negative effects have also been reported. The fact that people ex­ercise less when they have to stay at home is not surprising. Thus, a study by the Gottlieb Duttweiler In­stitute (GDI) showed a reduction in physical activity during lockdown. On average, two out of five people exercised less compared to before the pandemic. However, exercise habits changed over time: A survey conducted by Health Promotion Switzerland found that one month after lockdown (in Switzerland with no curfew), 49 percent of those questioned exercised less; a month later this figure had dropped to just 29 percent.

The pandemic also had an ef­fect on mental health. For example, an increase in mental health prob­lems was observed in those who had already been suffering from mental stress. In many cases, the pandemic led to an exacerbation of existing stress symptoms in these people. Particular risks also existed for people who suffered extreme financial hardship as a result of the crisis, for example by losing their jobs, experiencing a drop in earn­ings or bankruptcies.

The pandemic has motivated people to change certain things in their lives – including in relation to exercise and sport.

It is therefore important now to fo­cus on exercise and on ways of reinforcing positive pandemic pat­ terns and breaking negative ones. Intensive training is not necessary to achieve this. We often associate exercise with sport and sweat. But just by making ourselves slightly out of breath, we are achieving something positive. Basically, any­ thing other than sitting or lying down is good for health. Walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift, taking the tram instead of the car, cycling to work, walking to the shops, a lunchtime walk in the park, gardening, cleaning the apartment. And for all those who work mostly sitting down, the fol­ lowing applies: Stand up and move about at regular intervals. With rel­atively little exercise a lot can be achieved for health.

Exercising acts on three levels:

• Firstly, on the level of prevention, because regular exercise reduces the risk of contracting a non­ communicable disease (NCD).
• Secondly, exercise has an effect in people who are already ill, for example those who suffer from an NCD, since the right type of physical activity can alleviate so­ me of the symptoms.
• Thirdly, on the mental and social levels, because exercise often has a social component since it usually takes place together with other people.

So exercise works as a holistic therapy. It’s physical activity, well­being, it gives you energy and pleasure. Hippocrates of Kos was aware of this almost 2,500 years ago, writing that “walking is hu­manity’s best medicine”.

Exercise also has a positive effect on our immune system: when we exercise sufficiently at regular in­tervals, we strengthen our immune system and arm ourselves against possible infections.

How does the FOPH contribute to positive developments in the area of physical activity? The FOPH is involved in various action areas de­ signed to promote physical activity in everyday life: for example in the area of “exercise is medicine”, where exercise is promoted as an adjunct to treatment. It also sup­ ports various projects in the struc­ tural promotion of exercise, for ex­ ample the pilot projects for sustainable spatial development. The FOPH is also involved in the hepa network, which links stake­ holders in physical activity promo­ tion. hepa is responsible for the Swiss recommendations on physi­ cal activity. Last but not least, the FOPH is active in promoting physi­ cal activity in schools, for example by supporting Schulnetz21, the network of health­promoting and sustainable schools.