Science and sport, meet in the first virtual race More than 1000 Chileans will run for a healthy life

• Virtual Race: "The SCIENCE of a Healthy Life", is an initiative led by Explora RM Norte, ACCDiS and the University of Chile and aims to promote, through Science, Technology, Knowledge and innovation, self-care to prevent chronic diseases.
• The program "The SCIENCE of a healthy life" is supported by different activities of scientific dissemination and closes with the virtual run that will be held from Sunday, November 29 to Saturday, December 5., a massive and free sporting event that, because of its format, can be done with all necessary precautions in times of pandemic.

The latest National Health Survey (2017), dropped alarming figures that reflect the country's bad eating habits, in it it was detected that a 74,2% of Chileans are overweight or obese, Chile among the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the highest rate of obesity and overweight, above Mexico (72,5%) and United States (71%). Being the main cause of these diseases the sedentary lifestyle, where an 86,7% of people confessed not to be physically active.

Faced with this problem, universities, government institutions and entities join forces in the Virtual Cumshot: "The SCIENCE of a Healthy Life", initiative organized by the Explora Región Metropolitana Norte Project -of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation-, led by the University of Chile through the Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and its executing unit the Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS ), which aims to promote, through science, preventing chronic diseases.

"From the Ministry of Science we seek to bring science closer to people through memorable experiences and this innovative activity is an example of how we can promote evidence about the benefits of sports activity by using new technologies”, pointed out the Minister of Science, Andrés Couve, about this activity that as a result of the contingency by COVID-19, will be done under virtual running mode, from Sunday, November 29 to Saturday, December 5 (until 14 a.m.:00 hours) with distances of 2 and 5 Kilometers. A free and sporting event that invites all Chileans, regardless of where they are, to sign up for this initiative and stay healthy and active.

As part of this activity, since October Explora RM Norte offered different scientific outreach initiatives, among them sizes, informational capsules and talks, they have made known and understood -- through science, technology, knowledge and innovation- various events associated with the prevention of chronic diseases through self-care and healthy living habits, and also how technology and innovation are linked to these issues.

“To prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, Diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease we need to adopt healthy habits, including healthy eating and constant physical exercise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), we must perform 10.000 steps a day for our psychi and circulatory systems, bone and muscle work optimally. Let's get to work, 10.000 steps a day!”, said Sergio Lavandero, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Chile, director of ACCDIS and institutional advisor to Explora RM Norte.

To finish the director of Explora RM Norte, academic at the Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Chile and also ACCDIS researcher Mario Chiong, planned that "Currently, not only do we face the COVID-19 pandemic, but we also challenge sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity, leading to the rise of a myriad of chronic diseases. For this reason, the call is clear: being physically active is necessary to have a healthy life, contributing to musculoskeletal well-being, metabolic and immunological. It's best to prevent".

In addition, in order to motivate the population, added: "Taking into account the social estating necessary to cope with this health crisis and the need to prevent chronic diseases, I invite you to participate in the virtual race organized by Explora RM Norte, ACCDiS and the University of Chile: The SCIENCE of a Healthy Living, where you decide where, when and how far to run".

Run for a healthy life, next to Explore Metropolitan Region!