The importance of kinesiology to reduce sedentary lifestyle in the population

Although Chile has had high rates of sedentary lifestyle in the population prior to the pandemic, the pandemic and mobility restrictions undoubtedly affected this situation even more.
In this context, Antonio Zamunér, director of the Master in Kinesiology at the Catholic University of Maule and doctor in Physiotherapy, explains the current situation of the country and how specialization in various areas of kinesiology can help create competent professionals to face this reality.

“Chile has always been one of the countries with the highest rates of sedentary lifestyle since before the pandemic. What the pandemic did was aggravate these indices,” says the expert.
In this sense, Zamunér points out that the numbers are still worrying, so physical exercise is key to improving these aspects.
“Interdisciplinarity is key to this process, it is easy to say you have to do physical exercise but it is difficult to make a change in behavior (..) Kinesiologists and health and physical education professionals must work together to improve these levels.”
One of the important points, according to the specialist, is to emphasize prevention and also on the deepening of knowledge by professionals.
This is precisely what the Master in Kinesiology, taught by the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Maule (UCM) since 2005, is looking for.
Lines of research
The lines of research of the Master are Biokinesiology and Applied Kinesiology.
The first is understood as the study of human movement during the course of life. It combines the study of movement at the cellular, molecular, systems and organ levels, providing a better understanding, for example, on how to rehabilitate patients with disorders that affect their movement or the effects of sedentary lifestyle.
It should be noted that physical inactivity represents the fourth risk factor for death, according to the WHO, and that more than 3.2 million people in the world die from it.
In Chile, according to the latest national health survey, 89% of the population has a sedentary behavior, which encourages an increase in the risk of being overweight or obese.
This physical condition leads, in turn, to numerous dangers for the body and health problems.
The other line of research, Applied Kinesiology, corresponds to research applicable in clinical practice or the development of new therapies. Under the paradigm of the function and dysfunction of human movement is dedicated to the construction of
Knowledge at all levels of health care.
Its results will be transferred directly to decision-making in clinical practice in the different areas of kinesiology that impact the systems that contribute to movement, such as musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, neuroendocrine and integumentary.

Follow us on

Original source in Spanish