Long working hours and too much screen time are taking a toll on Indians’ well-being

Indians are living the couch potato life, and that’s ruining their health.

Sleep deprivation due to video-streaming services is one of the leading causes of declining physical well-being in the country, according to HealthifyMe, a mobile health and fitness app. Long working hours and easy access to junk food were the other top factors.

“Over 50% of our nutritionists highlighted sleep deprivation due to streaming services as one of the top three social trends that affected the physical well-being of their clients in 2019,” a HealthifyMe spokesperson told Quartz. “Most of the clients binge-watched shows like Game of Thrones, Sacred Games, Friends, Family Man and Made in Heaven. When it comes to sports, several binge-watched football, especially when the leagues were on.”

The app’s survey was conducted among 500 nutritionists and trainers to gauge the diet and workout trends of Indians in 2019.

Health conscious

Yet, Indians were conscious of what they ate, often giving in to popular health and diet trends.

In 2019, the ketogenic diet, with low carbs and higher fat and protein content, and intermittent fasting, which requires one to have food only during a small time window, were the top diet plans Indians followed.

Some fashionable food choices like chia seeds and green tea also featured on people’s plates. Others took the more traditional route, increasing the quantity of ragi, ghee, and turmeric in their meals.

Indians also proved to be early risers in 2019, with nutritionists reporting that 70% of their clients liked working out between 4 am and noon. Only 30% of these nutritionists’ clients reported exercise times between 4 pm and 8 pm. Running marathons emerged as the most popular fitness option among Indians. Yoga still remains the old-school favourite, followed closely by CrossFit.

This article first appeared on Quartz.