These
days, the vast majority of people in developed countries have become regular
users of the Internet, and while the digital world has made life so much easier
in a number of ways, there is one area in which it is threatening to change us
for worse rather than better. The mere fact that we spend so much time looking
at a screen interfacing with the web has made many of us far less active, and
in years to come this could prove to be a backward step.
A
growing number of people spend almost all of their working days at desks now,
and rarely get to move around in order to enjoy a break. This rather sedentary
lifestyle isn’t healthy at all, yet figures suggest that more and more men and
women will be doing computer-based work in the coming years. In a world in
which obesity is already a major problem, it doesn’t take a genius to see that
the future could see an epidemic of ill health.
Perhaps
this inactivity at work wouldn’t be such an issue if we tended to do more
outside of the usual shift patterns, but the sad truth is that this isn’t the
case for the majority of people. The television has always proved to be
something of a magnet for both adults and children alike, and this is still
true for millions of workers who want nothing more than a little rest and
relaxation when they get home after a tiring day.
So many screens to look at
And
even if the TV doesn’t manage to tempt us sometimes, the increasing amount of
interaction we have with our mobile phones means we remain physically inactive
for significant proportions of the day. With instant access to the web in the
palms of our hands, not to mention a plethora of useful apps and addictive
games, this latest method of interaction is proving just as distracting and
just as much of a danger to health.
Needless
to say, it isn’t all bad news as far as fitness levels go. There are plenty of
ways in which the Internet can help to improve the health of people who use it,
although there are always users who will resist any temptation to get fitter.
On the whole, those who saw the invention of the TV as a major temptation to
lead a lazier life will no doubt be echoing the same concerns about the web –
and the cellphone – in the coming years.
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