Summary: Dr. Mavis Asare is a clinical sports psychologist from Methodist University College in Ghana. She collected the data and conducted the data analysis for the article. Professor Samuel A. Danquah is a professor of psychology from the University of Ghana in Legon. He guided the research and gave comments for the article. Asare and Danquah studied the connection between sedentary behavior and mental health in Ghanaian adolescents. They surveyed two different schools, a total of about 300 people, and found that levels of low and high physical activity and sedentary behavior were about equal. All over the world, adolescents have become less active. Technology, economic status, and parenting style are all said to be contributors to the …show more content…
Advancements in technology were said to be a large factor in the time spent being sedentary. The lifestyle of adolescents and young adults also plays a part in how sedentary and active they are. Neither author went on to explain exactly how the brain is affected by sedentary behavior. Asare and Danquah tested whether or not parenting style could cause depression. They also stated that a family’s income level could be a cause for sedentary behavior and depression levels. Graham says schools and schoolwork are one of the main causes of high sedentary behavior and psychological distress. Analysis: Asare and Danquah and Graham brought up some interesting points concerning the relationship between sedentary behavior and mental health. Asare and Danquah discovered that technological advances have reduced the participation in physical activities. Most teens would rather use their computers or watch television than go outside or be active. Screen devices have become addictive but also are being used more often for schoolwork, as Graham states. The demanding lifestyle of today’s high school and college students is another cause for high sedentary behavior. Books and assignments have been put online, where students are reliant on computers to do their schoolwork. This also puts more pressure on the students, leaving them with little time to be
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1996). Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Many people are spending their leisure times behind computers and tablets than they are being physically productive. Although, most of the new technologies have had many benefits to the advancements in the way in which we function efficiently in the world today; it also has contributed to the sedentary lifestyles for many adults and children. A world before technology, included children playing activities outside and adults engaging in these activities with their children. Technology should be limited to ensure that we are all getting an adequate amount of social interaction, that children are being properly educated and to help reduce the continuing growth of obesity in America.
The world is changing with the advancement of technology. People in our society, including teenagers, adults, and elders addicted to computers, television, cell phones, videogames, and cars. This addiction is making them sedentary. Going back in history, the human body is made for hunting, farming, and household work but the advancement of technology is making us sedentary. The sedentary lifestyle is leading increase in chronic health conditions and higher all-cause mortality. Human body is reacting to this change in nature, by being less immune to numerous chronic health conditions.
Sedentary behaviour refers too much sitting or reclining, resulting in little or no energy expenditure (Ainsworth et al., 2000). Recently, it has been argued that prolonged sedentary behaviour which combined with a lack of physical activity through exercise is factor with adverse public health outcomes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and increased mortality. (Chau et al., 2013;Owen et al. 2008; Owen et al. 2010; Uffelenet et al., 2013).
Some hypothesize that moderate levels of exercise will decrease the symptoms of mental health conditions (Blumenthal et al., 2007; Diaz & Motta, 2008; Motta, Kuligowski, & Marino, 2010; Rosenbaum, Nguyen, Lenehan, Tiedemann, van der Ploeg, & Sherrington, 2011) and therefore be used as an alternative or complimentary treatment option for mental health (Libby, Pilver, & Desai, 2012).
Many Americans live an inactive life-style. We typical spend all day at work or school, and then when we return home, all we want to do is eat and sit down in front of the television, or some sort of electronic device. These bad habitats have been forming in adults lives, since their early adulthood stage, ages 18 -25. When, people enter inti the real world and actual jobs, we are bombarded with stress and time crunches, which lead to these unhealthy habitats.
IDEA Fitness Journal. Exercise Decreases Risk of Depression in Kids. October 2004. April 4th, 2005. < http://pdfserve.galegroup.com/pdfserve/get_item/1/Scdbf1ew6
As mentioned in an article, “Avoiding sedentary time and getting regular exercise are both important for improving your health and survival; it is not good enough to exercise for 30 minutes a day and be sedentary for 23 and half hours” (Dr. Alter). Although human beings are not sedentary creatures, modern technology which include televisions, computers, and automobiles are tends forced people to spend far longer sitting down than standing up. Researches recommend that the health risk of sitting too much is less prominent when physical activity is
All over the world, it is believed that physical exercises help people achieve wellness. Physical exercise not only encourages physical wellness but also have a significant impact on mental stability and health. Although such positive believes stand, many benefits of physical activity has lost value overtime, as people nowadays have the tendency to rely on modern technologies and machineries, which are believe to make life easier. This often leads to shortage of physical activity and over sometime both physical and mental health will deteriorate. This argumentative essay, will explain how engaging in physical exercises improve one’s mental health.
Josh is 11 years old. He loves to play video games when he gets home from school. He is a very intelligent young man so he finishes his homework quickly so he can get on the computer to play his new game his mother bought him. He plays it hours on end sitting on his bean bag chair. Dinner time arrives and his mother asks if he is hungry? He says yes. She goes out and gets him a combo meal from the Burger King down the road because the she doesn’t really cook at home often. Josh was too hungry to wait for his mom to bring food so he went and poured himself some soda and grabbed one of the bags of chips in the pantry. He ate almost the whole bag in one sitting as he received his fast food combo meal. After 9 hours straight of sitting and playing his video game it was time to go to bed. Josh wakes up for school but realizes he does not feel good, it is hard to breathe and he is sweating profusely. His mom notices he is in almost an
There exists various lifestyles and behaviours, ranging from amount of nutrition intake, mental well-being, to the amount of physical activity engaged individually. Weighing the abundance of factors, this essay primarily aims to focus on the aspect of physical activity in relevance to how it possibly affects one's lifestyle. By cross-referencing to other lifestyles and behaviours, this essay will also demonstrate the importance of physical activity in possibly alleviating the issues raised pertaining to other lifestyles as well. Throughout this essay, there will be frequent references to the socio-ecological framework in examining the aforementioned factors.
It is also shown by studies an inverse relationship between the times spent using internet and daily physical activity. The time spent on the internet and other forms of entertainment media significantly decrease a child’s time for activities needed for the healthy growth like playing, reading, storytelling and spending time with friends and family. It also have confirmed a harmful effect of using internet more than one to two hours per day on academic
Teens used technology consuming excessive amounts of exercise time throughout the day that caused the physical health problem of obesity. Teens were physically active throughout the day before technology was fully exposed to teens. According to the article, Obesity in Children and Technology, Cespedes (2013) stated “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 10 percent of preschool age children and 15 percent of 6- to 19-year olds, can be considered overweight. In addition to eating more processed, high calorie foods, active play has been supplanted by technology” (para.4). Teens would take more time outdoors riding bikes, playing at the parks, walking with friends, and swimming at indoor pools that caused them to burn calories while having fun. Most of technology today was at a sedentary state that replaced many of the outdoor activities with teens playing sport video games, using their smartphones, and browsing the internet on the computer or tablets for coun...
“Children who exercise regularly have higher levels of self-esteem.” (Brown, W.J. & Brown P.R., 1996, p19). Teaching Physical Education can have immediate health benefits as it helps normalise body weight and body composition. Physical activity also promotes positive mental health. Both immediate outcomes may be useful in motivating physical activity practices so that they have long term benefits. One of the main benefits of physical activity is that “it keeps children involved and that it invariably makes you feel good.” (Brown, W.J. & Brown P.R., 1996, p19). Getting the correct amount of Physical activity in school hours will decrease the rates of obesity and will reduce the risk of diabetes, asthma, heart disease and other health related illness’. Regular exercise for children also helps their cardiovascular health and bone development. There is also evidence that Physical Activity has a positive effect on mental health in children, including reducing anxiety and depression and improving their mood. However, there is some evidence that for children who don’t enjoy Physical Education it can have a negative impact on their self-esteem and
Over the past century we have become increasingly sedentary due to the technical advancements of today's world. Ironically, while machines and improvements in transportation and communication have made our lives easier, studies show that the decline in our physical activity associated with these advancements plays a large role in the decline of our health.