Physical Inactivity

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Introduction

Physical inactivity, defined as achieving less than 30 minutes’ activity per week, is the fourth greatest risk factor for poor health in the UK, exceeded only by smoking, high blood pressure, and a high body mass index (BMI). Approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. Physical inactivity directly contributes to 1 in 6 deaths in the UK.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) determined that approximately 31% of adults over 15 years old and over were insufficiently active in 2008, with males being slightly more active than females (28% vs. 34% inactive, respectively). Inactivity was highest in the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean, where almost 50% of women were insufficiently active in both these regions. 40% of men were found to be insufficiently active in the Americas, whereas in the Eastern Mediterranean, in was determined to be 36%. South East Asia showed the lowest percentages of physical inactivity, that being 15% for men and 19% for women. In almost all countries, WHO found that men were more active than women.

The physical, economic and social environments in which modern humans sit or move within the contexts of their daily lives have been changing rapidly, and particularly so since the middle of the last century. These changes — in transportation, communications, workplace and domestic-entertainment technologies — have been associated with significantly-reduced demands for physical activity.

There is a difference between a person who is sedentary and a person who is physically inactive. Being ‘physically inactive’ means not doing enough physical activity (in other words, not meeting the physical activity guidelines ). However, being ‘sedentary’ means sitting or lying down for long periods. So, a person can do enough physical activity to meet the guidelines and still be considered sedentary if they spend a large amount of their day sitting or lying down at work, at home, for study, for travel or during their leisure time.

http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrary/Files/Maps/Global_InsufficientActivity_Adults_BothSexes_2010.png http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrary/Files/Maps/Global_InsufficientActivity_Adol_BothSexes_2010.png

Sedentary Behaviour

Sedentary behaviour refers to any waking activity characterized by an energy expenditure ≤ 1.5 metabolic equivalents and a sitting or reclining posture. In general this means that any time a person is sitting or lying down, they are engaging in sedentary behaviour. Common sedentary behaviours include TV viewing, video game playing, computer use (collective termed “screen time”), driving automobiles, and reading.

Sedentary behaviors (from the Latin sedere, “to sit”) include sitting during commuting, in the workplace and the domestic environment, and during leisure time. Sedentary behaviors such TV viewing, computer use, or sitting in an automobile typically are in the energy-expenditure range of 1.0 to 1.5 METs (multiples of the basal metabolic rate)(1).In contrast, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity such as bicycling, swimming, walking, or running may be done in a variety of body positions, but require an energy expenditure of 3 to 8 METs (1). In this perspective, light intensity activity behaviors are those done while standing, but that requires expenditure of no more than 2.9 METS.

There might be more widespread use of innovative technologies that can provide more opportunities to reduce sitting time (for example, height-adjustable desks) or new regulations in workplaces to reduce or break-up extended periods of job-related sitting. Active transport modes could be promoted not only as opportunities for walking, but also as alternatives to the prolonged periods of time that many people spend sitting in automobiles. Providing non-sitting alternatives at community entertainment venues or events might also be considered.

Physical activity clearly leads to increased physical fitness, exercise capacity, and risk reduction of a wide variety of pathological diseases and clinical disorders resulting in lower rates of morbidity, all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and increased life expectancy. More specifically, physical inactivity increases the risk of coronary heart and cerebrovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, several cancers (e.g., lung, prostate, breast, colon, others), osteoporosis/fractures and dementia, among others. However, even among the very old “not only continuing but also initiating” physical activity is associated with better survival and function [165]. Moreover, since there is a linear relationship between the level of physical activity and health status, children and adolescents should participate daily in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity that is enjoyable, involves a variety of activities, and is developmentally beneficial.

Urbanization

Increased urbanization has resulted in numerous environmental factors which may discourage individuals from participating in physical activity, such as:

• violence
• high-density traffic
• low air quality, pollution
• lack of parks, sidewalks and sports/recreation facilities

Early Years

Sedentary behavior can occur in 4 areas of children’s lives—education/school/child care, transport, self-care/domestic chores, and leisure/play. For school-aged children, a main “occupation” is being a student and the majority of the school day is spent sitting. Homework also contributes to additional sitting time. Transport time is usually highly sedentary with children sitting in buses, trains and cars to get to and from school and other destinations. Sedentary self-care tasks include eating and some grooming. Leisure and play sedentary behaviors include reading from a book or an electronic screen. There are a number of ways by which sedentary behaviors may influence child health and development, including disrupted metabolism, limited neuromuscular activity, prolonged/awkward postures or repetitive motions, socioemotional experiences, cognitive experiences, and other mechanisms such as influencing sleep quality.

Young People

Among adolescents, time spent watching TV has been linked to substance use, reduced self worth and self-concept, reduced bone health, increased risks for markers of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, poor pro-social behaviour, increased aggression, reduced academic achievement, depression and reduced quality of life. Crucially, sedentary behaviours track from childhood to adolescence and into adulthood. With most stating that adolescents should spend no more than 2 hours per day engaging in sedentary screen-based activities such as TV viewing. Policy makers in areas such as health, education and welfare should be aware of the importance and benefits of reducing sedentary behaviours among youth. Effective strategies for reducing the time that young people spend being sedentary include interventions that support active transport and active play within schools, families and communities.

Related Articles (from Pubmed)

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