Update on the global pandemic of physical inactivity

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major burden worldwide. Health behaviours such as tobacco cessation, healthy dietary choices, and low alcohol consumption have all proven effective in the prevention and treatment of NCDs; however, less global attention has been given to the importance of an active lifestyle for disease prevention. In 2012, The Lancet published its first Series on physical activity, which increased awareness of the importance of physical activity in the prevention of NCDs, with a special emphasis on low-income and middle-income countries. 1 Lee IM Shiroma EJ Lobelo F Puska P Blair SN Katzmarzyk PT Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012; 380: 219-229 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5059) Google Scholar But there is still a long way to go before physical activity is an equal partner in recommended preventive strategies for NCDs—from the government level down to the physician's practice. Physical activity—time to take it seriously and regularlyIn 1994, the epidemiologist Jerry Morris described physical activity as the “best buy” in public health.1 In 2012, The Lancet published its first Series on physical activity, which showed an estimated 5·3 million deaths per year are due to inactivity; the Series concluded that physical inactivity is as important a modifiable risk factor for chronic diseases as obesity and tobacco.2 Today, we publish our second Series, which provides an update of the field since 2012 and an analysis of the latest science of physical activity and health, with a strong focus on low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Full-Text PDF Renewing commitments to physical activity targets in ThailandThe Lancet 2016 Series on physical activity provides global evidence on how physical activity contributes to healthy nations through primary prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a growing epidemic.1–4 The Series presents compelling evidence on the benefits of physical activity not only for health, but also for social, environmental, and economic outcomes.2,5 Full-Text PDF Gender equality in sport for improved public healthIn the 2016 Lancet Series on physical activity,1–4 published to coincide with the 2016 Rio Olympics, authors consider developments in our understanding of relations between physical activity and human health since the 2012 Olympic Games in London. One notable event for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in this quadrennium was the adoption of their Olympic Agenda 2020, which reaffirms the IOC commitment to work with International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees, as well as the UN, to increase the participation of girls and women in sport. Full-Text PDF Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? A harmonised meta-analysis of data from more than 1 million men and womenHigh levels of moderate intensity physical activity (ie, about 60–75 min per day) seem to eliminate the increased risk of death associated with high sitting time. However, this high activity level attenuates, but does not eliminate the increased risk associated with high TV-viewing time. These results provide further evidence on the benefits of physical activity, particularly in societies where increasing numbers of people have to sit for long hours for work and may also inform future public health recommendations. Full-Text PDF The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseasesIn addition to morbidity and premature mortality, physical inactivity is responsible for a substantial economic burden. This paper provides further justification to prioritise promotion of regular physical activity worldwide as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases. Full-Text PDF Progress in physical activity over the Olympic quadrenniumOn the eve of the 2012 summer Olympic Games, the first Lancet Series on physical activity established that physical inactivity was a global pandemic, and global public health action was urgently needed. The present paper summarises progress on the topics covered in the first Series. In the past 4 years, more countries have been monitoring the prevalence of physical inactivity, although evidence of any improvements in prevalence is still scarce. According to emerging evidence on brain health, physical inactivity accounts for about 3·8% of cases of dementia worldwide. Full-Text PDF Scaling up physical activity interventions worldwide: stepping up to larger and smarter approaches to get people movingThe global pandemic of physical inactivity requires a multisectoral, multidisciplinary public-health response. Scaling up interventions that are capable of increasing levels of physical activity in populations across the varying cultural, geographic, social, and economic contexts worldwide is challenging, but feasible. In this paper, we review the factors that could help to achieve this. We use a mixed-methods approach to comprehensively examine these factors, drawing on the best available evidence from both evidence-to-practice and practice-to-evidence methods. 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