Globally, 7.2% of deaths from all causes are attributable to physical inactivity. So get moving!
- The WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires the expenditure of energy.
- Walking, cycling, sports in general, outdoor games or even housework are all common ways to engage in physical activity.
Physical inactivity directly kills more than 4 million people every year worldwide, according to a new study published in the BMJ.
quantify the damage
We have known it for a long time: the lack of physical activity is a risk factor for premature mortality and many diseases. But this time, the researchers wanted to quantify the damage. “The purpose of this trial was to estimate the global burden associated with physical inactivity,” specify the authors in the preamble. To consolidate the data, the health risks associated with lack of physical activity were assessed in 168 different countries.
“We calculated PARs (percentage of cases attributable to inactivity) for all-cause mortality, including via coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, stomach and kidney”, say the scientists.
You should do between 30 and 40 minutes of physical activity a day.
Results: “Globally, 7.2% (….) is attributable to physical inactivity”, say scientists. The proportions vary from 1.6% for hypertension to 8.1% for dementia. There is also an increasing gradient between income groups; PCRs were more than twice as high in high-income countries as in low-income countries. However, 69% of total deaths associated with physical inactivity occur in middle-income countries, given their population size. Regional differences were also observed.
As recently recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), 30-40 minutes of physical activity a day is needed to offset the adverse health effects of sitting. The WHO recommends, in addition, to do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate sport or at least 75 to 100 minutes of intense physical activity per week. The authority also emphasizes the importance of muscle strengthening which should, ideally, be the subject of at least two weekly sessions.
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