A Study on Activity Levels is Discouraging.

A new study out of the Washington University School of Medicine warns of the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and concludes that Americans are still not doing enough to increase their daily activity. (1)

Most Americans continue to sit for prolonged periods despite public health messages that such inactivity increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, according to a major new study. (2)

Published in April of this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this study examined data provided by 51,000 individuals. Survey participants included children, teens, adults and seniors. Researchers looked closely at how much time was being spent sitting each day. (1)

The results were discouraging, with daily sedentary time increasing for adults from 5.5 to 6.5 hours each day. The time teenagers spend sitting also increased dramatically between 2007 and 2016, from seven hours per day to eight. (1)

A 2018 study published in the journal Health Psychology Open observed a strong correlation between physical activity and mental wellbeing, including a significant increase in mental health for those who made the switch from being very sedentary to engaging in daily exercise. (1)

SOURCES:

1) https://www.wellness.com/blog/13294523/study-on-activity-levels-surprised-even-us/wellness-editor?utm_source=www.wellness.com&utm_placement=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=WDCnewsletter

2) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190423133711.htm