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Physical Inactivity as Deadly as Smoking

By on October 13, 2012

A study recently published in the Lancet found that adult physical inactivity causes about 5.3 million deaths each year. One in every ten deaths come from diseases like diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer, all of which become more likely with a sedentary lifestyle. The study estimates that almost 1/3 of adults throughout the world are simply not active enough, and this problem is killing as many people as smoking.

Researchers find that this problem is so severe it should be treated by policy makers as a true pandemic. It will require new ways of of promoting public health and encouraging the public to get in a minimum of 150 minutes each week of moderate exercise. The problem seems to be worse in countries with higher incomes, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, where nearly 2 out of every 3 adults are not getting enough exercise.

So why are some people more active than others? There are some consistent factors, as men tend to be more active than women and physical activity tends to lessen as we age. A number of psychological factors contribute to the amount of physical activity an individual gets and children tend to be more active when they have active and supportive parents. There is also some research that shows some people are genetically predisposed to being more physically active. Learning more about what causes the sedentary lifestyle will probably be the first step to tackling this issue around the world.

Study Recommendations

To fight off the risk of premature death, type-2 diabetes, heart disease and more, researchers recommend adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This can be gardening, cycling or a brisk walk 30 minutes each day, 5 days a week.

Motivation to Exercise

Individuals who lead an inactive lifestyle may find it difficult to muster the motivation to exercise daily, or even a few times a week. Here are some tips to help you enjoy exercising, rather than viewing it as a chore.

  • Be realistic about your goals. Many first-timers set unrealistic goals with exercise, which leads to disappointment and failure. Begin with only 20 to 30 minutes of exercise 2 or 3 times each week and slowly build upon this, rather than starting off with a full hour every day.
  • Keep track of progress. By charting your progress, whether it’s using a mobile app or an exercise journal, you’ll see improvements over time. These improvements in the frequency of exercise, time and reps you perform will help you stay motivated to continue your progress.
  • Don’t strive for perfection. Prepare yourself for setbacks and don’t become discouraged if they happen. Whether you get sick, injured or simply need a break, keep your motivation to get back to exercising and don’t let it make you feel like you’ve failed.
  • Get support from friends and family. People with a support group tend to do better with goals and motivation. Try working out with friends or try hiring a trainer.
  • Choose activities you enjoy. This may seem obvious, but some people jump into exercise by running on a treadmill and find the activity so unpleasant they simply give up. If motivation is a problem for you, look for exercise you actually enjoy, whether it’s fitness classes at the gym, martial arts, walking around your neighborhood or a dance routine at home.
  • Break up your workout if you find it difficult to workout for an entire hour. Exercise broken up into 2 or 3 sessions throughout the day is just as effective as one long workout and may be much easier on you.
  • Make exercising convenient. Finally, your workout should be convenient for your schedule so you’re more likely to stick with it. If you don’t have energy at the end of the day, try waking up 20 or 30 minutes early and getting in some exercise in the morning. If you have trouble making the drive to the gym, use a fitness video at home for a convenient and effective aerobics workout at home.