|
London:
It appears that nagging is good for your health, especially if
you are above 30, as it acts like a constant reminder for people
to lose weight or become more active, a study has found.
The study, which was based on a series of interviews from
the UK, showed that the least active people felt that constant
nagging from their family — spouse or children — affected their
health in a positive way.
In the study, researchers from the University of Lincoln
focused on modifiable social influences on motivation towards
physical activity, rather than fixed factors used to predict
health such as gender and ethnicity. These included giving
impetus (by nagging); supporting progress with emotional and
moral support; logistical support like looking after the kids
for some time; and making activity itself a social endeavour,
such as going with friends.
“The aim of this study was to help people examine their
lifestyle as a whole and establish what the key factors are in
influencing their activity levels,” study author Dr Richard
Keegan was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “The most common
barriers to active lifestyles were work, long commutes and
provision of facilities. However, it became clear that if you
know who to ask, it’s also possible for your social network to
help you become more active, for example, by going for a run
with colleagues straight after work. “The good news is that the
study suggests once you are active and healthy, you no longer
need nagging. Most importantly, however, the suggestion that
‘nagging is good’ should only be applied to getting healthy and
active!”
|
