Walking back to health

Recent ICMR–INDIAB data reveal that over 84% of adults in Kashmir are physically inactive, one of the highest rates recorded in the country. Obesity has soared by nearly 250 percent since 2010, and diabetes is rising sharply on both sides of the Pir Panjal - 7.8 percent in the Valley and nearly 19 percent in Jammu. These aren’t abstract numbers.

At the same time, a disturbing trend haunts Kashmir’s hospitals: young people in their 30s and 40s arriving with heart attacks. One-in-five cardiac patients in the Valley is under 45. In winter, cases double. Years of conflict, unemployment, anxiety, drug dependency, and weak mental-health support have created a perfect storm - stress fuels inflammation, unhealthy coping habits set in, and the body breaks down earlier than it should.

It is against this backdrop that walkathons and marathons organised by SKIMS, GMC Srinagar and other health institutions have emerged as more than symbolic gestures. These events recognise a simple truth: Kashmiris must reclaim movement. Sitting has become the “new smoking,” with over six hours of daily sedentary time raising mortality risk by nearly 15–18 percent. In a region where winters push people indoors and modern routines keep them glued to screens, inactivity is quietly shortening lives.

Walking is not a luxury. It is medicine. A daily 30-minute walk reduces blood sugar, improves circulation, burns fat, stabilises mood, and strengthens the heart. It is accessible, inexpensive and powerful, far more than many realise. As cardiologists remind us, one can start with ten minutes and slowly build up to 5,000–10,000 steps a day. Small steps compound into larger transformations.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s participation in fitness campaigns sends the right message. But building a healthier Kashmir cannot rely on symbolism alone. Schools, mohalla committees, workplaces, and local administrations must integrate physical-activity routines into everyday life: community walks, car-free days, winter indoor-activity clubs, and safe public spaces for exercise.

Kashmir has long lived with crises - conflict, weather, economic shocks. But this crisis is from within, and the solution is within reach. A walking culture is not just about exercise; it is about reclaiming agency over health, stress and longevity.