Imagine if we could pedal on a bike to power household appliances or simply offset electricity bill costs.

Just last week, we pondered a problem. The problem was one currently affecting Maltese society at large and set to grow worse as time goes by.

Our adults are out of shape, but more alarmingly, so are our children. The problem is that they are predominantly inactive and obesity is running rife. Obesity itself is now classed as a global epidemic and statistics clearly indicate we Maltese are at the forefront of the issue.

Are we equipped to take a leading role in this fight? Are we ready to dig in on the front line and do whatever it takes to win?

We also had a look at some of the possible solutions. Some are uniquely local, while others have already been tried and tested elsewhere.

I wouldn’t normally have revisited the same subject so soon, but I just couldn’t resist. One solution being tried and tested elsewhere last week was brought to my attention and was simply too good to pass up without comment.

It seems the Russians have always quietly gone about their own business in a matter-of-fact sort of way, getting straight to the point when perhaps others might not. A popular internet myth once proposed that NASA spent millions developing a special space pen that could write in zero gravity and withstand any extreme temperature, while the Russians simply used a pencil. Of course, this is just a myth, but it does give insight into how we interpret the reactions of different cultures to the same problems.

Do they have problems with obesity and inactivity in Russia too? Yes, they do. In the world rankings, they’re right up there with us, side by side, as a top heavyweight nation.

So while most of the Western nations go about developing the proverbial mythical space pen, what is Russia’s pencil in the fight against obesity? It’s simply brilliant. Hats off to the Russians, because their latest initiative is pure genius; physical activity as bona fide currency.

The possibilities are limitless, but here’s how the idea is being incubated at this very moment in the Russian underground. Throughout the month of November, you can pay in squats to ride the Moscow Metro.

Regular readers will know that, to my view, there is practically nothing out there that squats can’t achieve. Can they pay for things now too? If you want to ride an underground train out of Vystavochnaya station in western Moscow, then yes, they can.

A one-way ticket will cost you exactly 30 squats, performed without any additional weight in front of a special apparatus. The apparatus looks like a typical ticket-vending machine, but it doesn’t accept regular money, only physical activity.

By placing your feet on the marks indicated, the machine will detect the depth of your squat to ensure that each repetition is performed through the required range of motion. There is also a timer to ensure you complete all the repetitions within the stipulated limit of two minutes.

The initiative was spearheaded by the Russian Olympic Committee as a means of promoting sport and physical activity ahead of the upcoming winter Olympics in Moscow. Also for a limited time only, the city is offering other incentives to get people moving, including an exercise bike you can use to charge your mobile phone.

If you’re running low on battery power, simply plug in, start pedalling and charge up to however hard you’re willing to pedal.

Throughout history, several weapons developments have revolutionised warfare. The machine gun, the tank and the atomic bomb; all have played their part in steering the course of history.

Hats off to the Russians, because their latest initiative is pure genius; physical activity as bona fide currency

Has Moscow just revolutionised the war on obesity? Could this new weapon deal a crippling blow to obesity and inactivity here on our own soil too?

Private enterprises, of course, have no use for your squats and won’t be accepting payment in anything other than money any time soon. But Government services, on the other hand, are a different story.

Whatever is spent on physical activity today will save on far greater healthcare costs further down the road. Inactivity-related diseases like obesity and heart disease require treatment and run up bills in the process that must be footed by public funds.

The government is paying for inactivity and therefore so are you and I. By investing in getting people physically active, we are saving money in the long run.

Unfortunately, money itself in today’s world is a powerful motivator and other nations have already experimented with ‘fat tax’ on junk food, just like the tax we pay on cigarettes. It’s a deterrent and might help pay for a small percentage of the inactivity-related medical bill, but paying out yet more money just seems a little negative. We need a more positive form of extrinsic motivation.

If monitored, physical activity, just like squats performed in front of a machine, could accumulate credit with an actual monetary value; then we could use it to pay in part or full for a wide range of public services.

Imagine if we could pedal on a bike to power household appliances or simply offset electricity bill costs. Would you start cycling if it meant lowering your outgoing monthly expenses? I certainly would, and I would encourage all members of the family to do the same too.

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt