Fertility, simply defined, is the natural capacity to produce an offspring. There are various factors which affect the fertility of both men and women. Such factors include diet, specific diseases, genetics, and lifestyle. Of these factors, lifestyle has become a major concern these days as obesity and associated conditions are on the rise due to a large chunk of the people leading a sedentary lifestyle. And it has also become a major cause for infertility, in both men and women.
Effect of sedentary lifestyle on fertility:
As mentioned, sedentary lifestyle affects the fertility of both men as well as women:
- Men: men who lead a sedentary lifestyle generally tend to be overweight and obese. And recent studies have found that obesity has a very negative impact on the male reproductive system. Obesity not only reduces the sperm quality but also affects the germ cells in the testes (which are responsible for producing sperm cells) in a negative manner. This overall effect has a negative impact on fertility, and can often lead to infertility if not taken care of.
- Women: the risk of infertility due to a sedentary lifestyle is even more in women as compared to men. Studies have found that living a sedentary lifestyle causes hormonal imbalance in females. It can also cause anovulatory cycles and polycystic ovaries which is one of the leading causes of infertility in women.
Prevention:
Leading a sedentary lifestyle poses serious health risks like obesity, cardiovascular problems, diabetes etc. in addition to infertility. It is, therefore, very important to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle. Besides eating a healthy diet, one must do some kind of physical activity on a daily basis. One can go for exercise, yoga, sports, running, brisk walking etc. Not only physical activity reduces stress levels, but also reduces inflammation and pain in the pelvic area, thereby increasing the chances of conception.
