Doctors advocate exercise, health checks to combat heart disease, diabetes

The Association of Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos, has stressed regular exercise and health screenings as key measures to combat heart disease, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases.

Speaking at the pre-annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference tagged “Run for Health” on Saturday, December 7, 2024, the doctors discussed the growing health risks associated with sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits.

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The association’s President, Dr Onyinye Lazson, emphasised the importance of incorporating exercise into daily routines. “These days, there is an increase in sedentary lifestyles, and we’re trying to raise awareness about the importance of exercise in staying healthy and fit.

“The dangers of inactivity are humongous. It is because of the increase in sedentary lifestyles, and inactivity has led to the rise in heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and many other conditions, including cancers, which have been linked to inactivity as risk factors,” she said.

Lazson noted that the shift towards Western dietary habits is contributing to a rise in NCDs. “We are adopting their food, adopting their lifestyle, and as a result, we are adopting their diseases. So now we are moving from communicable diseases that used to be prevalent in the past to what we call non-communicable diseases that are usually linked to these lifestyle changes,” she added.

She also stressed the importance of regular health checks, comparing the human body to a car needing routine maintenance. “Sometimes you might not have any signs, you might feel well, but gradually those things are causing damage to the organs in your body. So it’s a time for us to pay attention to annual health checks that will help us identify illnesses that have not shown up yet. It’s shocking to see individuals with alarmingly high blood pressure who appear healthy. Such cases often result in sudden collapses that people blame on spiritual causes. It’s not ‘village people’; it’s neglect of health,” she said.

The Run for Health event, which featured a five-kilometre run within the FMC premises, saw about 100 participants competing for prizes, with the first prize winner taking home ₦150,000, the first runner-up ₦75,000, and the third prize ₦50,000.

Lazson explained that the initiative aimed to motivate individuals to adopt physical activities as part of their daily lives, while also acknowledging the Medical Director of the institution, Dr Adedamola Dada, for his support towards the association, its activities, and the welfare of members at the centre.

Senior Medical Officer and Internal Medicine Physician, Dr Omonibinu Jeffrey, explained how lifestyle changes are driving a surge in diseases that were previously uncommon among younger people. “There were 34, 20-something-year-olds who died of stroke, which shouldn’t be happening because our way of life now is different from the way we lived in those days, the junk foods we eat, and our sedentary lifestyle,” he said.

Omonibinu emphasised that fitness goes beyond physical appearance. “Health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Regular exercise helps prevent diabetes, stroke, and heart failure. It keeps your body in balance and enhances your quality of life,” he said.

General Secretary of the association and Local Organising Committee Secretary for the AGM, Dr Oloregulem Victor  described the Run for Health as the maiden edition of their pre-AGM activities. “This initiative is a way to raise awareness about the importance of exercise while marking the start of our AGM week. It’s an innovative step towards promoting fitness among health workers and the community,” he said.

According to Oloregulem, the sedentary lifestyle of many health professionals and the general population prompted the need for such an event. “Exercise is a drug prescription. It’s a drug on its own, which tends to clear out so many toxins from our system. So it breaks down some of the build-ups we have in our system, and then breaks them out, and then gets cleared up from our system,” he added.

The association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Akintade Adegoyega, reiterated the importance of striking a balance between work and personal health. “Despite our tight schedules, we must exercise frequently to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Everyone should aim to live fit,” he said.