Andhra Medical College and its playground near its men’s hostel make a strong case for the need to have such a facility in every educational institution so that students exert themselves playing one game or the other and keep themselves fit.
Exercise is a must for maintaining good health, but this aspect is grossly neglected and obesity is on the rise.
Talking about this point, a senior physician and former HoD of Medicine of Andhra Medical College and King George Hospital K.V.G.K. Tilak recalled that the AMC, established in 1923 and its first batch passed out in 1928, did not get recognition till 1940 only because it did not have a playground! The then Principal, Maj. Ebden, purchased a piece of land, which is the present playground that is named after him in recognition of the great support he had extended to sports in the college. It was due to Maj. Ebden’s efforts and the II World War the AMC was given recognition, Dr. Tilak recalled. He stressed the need to control hypertension, a silent killer, the incidence of which is on the rise. Here, exercise is an important measure.
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“We are eating a lot, but do little exercise, and even don’t walk. Obesity is more in girls and the many gadgets that take care of household chores remove the chance of subjecting the body to an exercise without really intending to do so. Television makes one sit in front of it for hours on and this is very little exercise.
One being educated is not enough, but he or she has to exercise daily, keep away food that increases weight, cholesterol, fat, to avoid hypertension, which leads to many complications in functioning of heart, kidney, and eyesight.
Since longevity has increased, incidence of hypertension has gone up. It is estimated that 70 per cent of those who crossed 70 years have hypertension.
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