Province News

Inactivity: How Does an Inactive Lifestyle Affect Your Body?

Abstracted by Sheila Kun RN, BA, BSN, MS

Sedentary Lifestyle or Sitting Disease is harmful for our health. We presented the prevalence and global data last week recognizing that globally 28% of adults aged 18 and over were not active enough. Now let us explore how bad is inactivity.

From Medline Plus online information, it clearly delineates the risks of an inactive lifestyle:

  • You burn fewer calories. This makes you more likely to gain weight.
  • You may lose muscle strength and endurance, because you are not using your muscles as much.
  • Your bones may get weaker and lose some mineral content.
  • Your metabolism may be affected, and your body may have more trouble breaking down fats and sugars.
  • Your immune system may not work as well.
  • You may have poorer blood circulation.
  • Your body has much more inflammation.
  • You may develop a hormonal imbalance.

From the CDC data: What are the health risks of inactivity?

Heart Disease

Not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease—even for people who have no other risk factors. It can also increase the likelihood of developing other heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

Not getting enough physical activity can raise a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Physical activity helps control blood sugar (glucose), weight, and blood pressure and helps raise “good” cholesterol and lower “bad” cholesterol. Adequate physical activity—at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week—can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and nerve damage, which are often problems for people with diabetes.

Cancer

Getting the recommended amount of physical activity can lower the risk of many cancers, including cancers of the breast, colon, and uterus. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or current fitness level.

Your homework from the Care Ministry this week: do an inventory of your daily routine and identify potential inactive periods that might need to be addressed.Love to hear from you; kunlouis@gmail.com