In 2016 only 26% of men, 19% of women, and 20% of adolescents report performing
sufficient physical activity defined as at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic (endurance) physical activity and two days per week of muscle-strengthening
(resistance) activity for adults and at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic
physical activity and three days per week of muscle-strengthening activity for
youth.8 An estimated $117 billion in U.S. annual health care costs and about 10%
of premature mortality are associated with inadequate physical activity. Moving
more and sitting less will benefit everyone.
According to the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES), 25.7% of adults reported sitting for more than eight hours per day, and
44.6% were inactive. Among U.S. adults, average sitting time increased from
about five hours a day in 2007 to about six hours a day in 2016. The figure below,
reproduced from the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee
Scientific Report,12 shows that based on a standard of 150 minutes of moderate to
vigorous physical activity a week, half of Americans are still either inactive or insufficiently
active.
Epidemiological studies indicate that sedentary behavior harms health. A systematic
review of 27 studies found that sedentary children and adolescents are more
likely to be obese and have unfavorable measures of blood pressure, total cholesterol,
self-esteem, social behavior, physical fitness, and academic achievement.
For adults, the study found “strong evidence of a relationship between sedentary
behavior and all-cause mortality, fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD),
type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.” In addition, there is moderate evidence
for increased incidence of ovarian, colon and endometrial cancers.
This blog presents opinions and ideas and is intended to provide helpful general information. I am not engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures and suggestions in that are presented are not in any way a substitute for the advice and care of the reader’s own physician or other medical professional based on the reader’s own individual conditions, symptoms or concerns. If the reader needs personal medical, health, dietary, exercise or other assistance or advice the reader should consult a physician and/or other qualified health professionals. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that the reader may incur as a direct or indirect consequence of following any directions or suggestions given in this blog or participating in any programs described in this blog or in the book, The Building Blocks of Health––How to Optimize Your Health with a Lifestyle Checklist (available in print or downloaded at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble and elsewhere). Copyright 2021 by J. Joseph Speidel.
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