Letters

Encourage exercise on the job

LETTERS: What is worrying is our nation had been labelled as the fattest nation in Southeast Asia.

More than 51 per cent of our adults are either obese or overweight compared with other Asean member countries.

There is an increase in diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, which have claimed quite a number of lives. Far too many of these deaths are preventable.

It is no secret that regular exercise can go a long way. Include a good diet too as that can dramatically reduce death rates from these non-communicable diseases.

Given how critical fitness is to overall health, I personally think, as a former national athlete, it is worth taking a look at exercising at the workplace, where nearly all of us spend a good part of our lives.

Regular exercise promotes weight control, lowers risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, elevates spirit and makes one more productive, which could boost employee engagement.

At my office, as a former human resources senior manager, we had a small gym and a yoga room, as well as showers and changing rooms.

Facilities were modest compared with other multinational companies that I served in my career journey.

The facilities were well used. Yoga classes were packed before work, at lunch and after work. In the gym, volunteers from our company led sweaty boot camps and cross-training classes.

When it comes to promoting fitness on the job, dedicated facilities and organised teams like these are hardly necessities.

Having the right workplace culture is far more important. And we had made it clear that anyone could spend half an hour for exercise during the day, provided it did not conflict with meetings.

It is by encouraging physical fitness and healthy lifestyle habits that we can lower the death rate from diseases, foster healthy bodies, as well as enhance personal function and mental health.

C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU

Seremban, Negri Sembilan


The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times

Most Popular
Related Article
Says Stories