By Chioma Obinna

In the wake of the rising incidences of non communicable diseases in Nigeria and the world at large, experts say a combination of exercise and healthy diets would prevent diseases like stroke and others.

Centre , is the Medical Director of Alimosho General Hospital, Dr. Bolaji Adebiyi and other members of staff of the hospital during the maiden edition of the hospitals’s monthly Health and Fitness programme

Medical Director of Alimosho General Hospital, Dr Bolaji Adebiyi who stated this in chat during its maiden edition of Health and Fitness monthly programme for members of staff of the hospital lamented Nigerians’ poor attitude to exercise and general medical check up.

According to him, it has been scientifically proven that exercise and healthy diets reduce stroke.

Adebiyi who defines stroke as actually the puffing up of blood vessels in the brain as a result of the narrowing of the blood vessels explained that narrowing of the blood vessels occur due to unhealthy diets and sedimentary lifestyle or lack of exercise.

He hinted that the monthly programme was informed by the experience of two of their staff who came down with stroke in tehg last four months said “We need to know that stroke is not just a disease on its own but a symptom of a disease. Stroke comes up as a result of either hypertension and diabetes and we know that exercise prevents diabetes and hypertension”.

While stressing the benefits of the programme, he said the desire is for Nigerians to engage in activities. “And the major impact is for members of staff to go home and get involve in exercise, jogging, walking, bicycling, trekking, playing foot ball and all forms of exercising and do away with sedimentary life”.

He further queried that, why should in Europe, the life span so higher than that of Africa or Nigeria adding that the major reason was due to poor exercise that we don’t involve ourselves with. “So the major impact of the programme is to sensitise Nigerians generally on the effectiveness of exercise.”

The Medical Director who scored Nigerians zero in terms of exercising counselled on need to change diets, particularly now that fast food is not doing the lifestyle of Nigerians any good.