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We had the pleasure of speaking with Martine Duclos, a new health professional, following Philippe Beaulieu and François Carré! An endocrinologist, physiologist, sports physician, and President of the National Observatory of Physical Activity and Sedentariness... Her Curriculum Vitae attests to the quality of her expertise and experience in adopting a healthier lifestyle. For WeWard, Professor Martine Duclos detailed the issues surrounding sedentary behavior and physical inactivity, two concepts that are sometimes confused.
Martine Duclos: First, we need to agree on the very notion of sedentariness. Many people confuse this concept with physical inactivity! Sedentariness refers to the time we spend sitting between the moment we wake up in the morning and when we go to bed at night. For adults, this can range from 10 to 12 hours a day! Physical inactivity is another issue. It refers to a level of physical activity that is below the threshold recommended for our health.
Martine Duclos: Both are responsible for premature mortality, considering our life experiences. They also represent significant factors in various chronic diseases. The answer depends on each person's routine. If you spend 12 hours sitting during a day without any physical activity, both are equally dangerous!
Conversely, if you spend 10 hours sitting with 2 hours of moderate physical activity, your sedentary time remains a health risk, but it is offset by your physical activity.The problem is that there is a real imbalance between the time we spend sitting and the recommended level of physical activity.
Personally, my recommendations are: 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity per week.
Martine Duclos: For two reasons. Firstly, our current lifestyle is increasingly mechanized, even within manual labor. The second issue is that we are increasingly exposed to screens! Studies on sedentariness date back only about ten years!
Martine Duclos: WeWard shows well that we can move thanks to new technologies! They can play a role in providing information but also in stimulating, like through challenges! There are plenty of ways to motivate us to move!
Martine Duclos: I do at least three interviews a week on this topic, that’s to tell you! (Laugh)My colleague François Carré (see François Carré’s testimony for WeWard here) also speaks regularly. I think awareness first happens in the media, which is already a great thing! Just a year ago, many journalists confused sedentariness with physical inactivity.This awareness is necessary because people need to be informed about this topic. Physical activity is not yet culturally ingrained in people's consciousness.Here too, a confusion often returns.Sports and physical activity are not the same thing!
Sport is one component of physical activity.When you walk to work, it’s physical activity! Just like when you walk your dog or prefer stairs to elevators. Physical activity represents a lifestyle.
Many people are reluctant to embrace an active lifestyle. But we don't need to hurt ourselves!We don't need to sweat or have cramps to have an active lifestyle! Our genes are programmed to move, so it needs to enter our collective consciousness, just like eating or sleeping. The effort is worth it because once repeated enough, the action becomes a habit.
Martine Duclos: Food portions in the United States are increased. Furthermore, the lack of mealtime coordination causes insulin levels to rise more quickly. There is never a fasting period! Thus, the more weight we gain, the harder it becomes to walk and maintain regular physical activity. The United States should also better adapt their urban areas to encourage their populations to walk more.
Martine Duclos: As much as possible, reduce your sitting time! Remember to stand up every hour, for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Also, try to take breaks outside as much as possible. We spend over 80% of our time indoors, while light is a synchronizer of our biological rhythms, present in the heart, brain, or lungs. In terms of step recommendations, don't pressure yourself to do 10,000 steps every day! The goal is to walk 4,000 to 5,000 steps to see real health benefits. After that, you can gradually increase your pace, without putting any negative pressure on yourself. The aim is to find your own balance.
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