PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS DOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD
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Physical activity levels declining throughout the world
Some researchers, led by Shu Wen Ng, PhD, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, analyzed the levels of physical activity among adults in a number of specific areas in two developed countries - the United States and the United Kingdom - and three countries transition - China, Brazil and India. Together, the five countries represent 45% of the world population in 2011.
In all five countries studied - the United States, Britain, China, Brazil and India - the levels of activity in the workplace have decreased in recent years, with the largest declines in China, according to Shu Wen Ng.
This trend is related to changes in the workplace, or the mechanization and the use of computers and will continue in the coming decades.
Data were available for the United States and the United Kingdom since 1960, China since 1991, and for Brazil and India since the 2000s.
The total physical activity in the United States - as measured by metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours per week - has fallen from 235 in 1965 to 160 in 2009, and is expected to drop to 126 by 2030. As in all countries, most of the decline occurred during work, with slight decreases of home-based business. The activities carried out in their free time they have made some progress, but not enough to offset the other trends.
In the UK, the total MET-hours per week fell from 216 in 1960 to 173 in 2005, and is expected to fall to 140 by 2030. Trends generally similar to those of the United States.
Sedentary leisure time is expected to increase in both countries - 42 hours per week in the United States and 52 hours a week in the UK by 2030.
In China, most of the expected decline occurred from 1991 to 2009, with MET-hours per week down from 399 to 213. A slight decrease to 188 MET-hours per week by 2030, with an increase in sedentary leisure time to 25 hours a week.
Brazil has seen slight decreases in the activities of the various sectors. The total physical activity was 214 MET-hours per week in 2008 and is expected to fall to 151 by 2030. Sedentary time should be about 33 hours a week by 2030.
In India, the levels of physical activity decreased at a rate much slower than in other countries. The total physical activity was 239 MET-hours per week in 2005 and is estimated to drop to 212 in 2030. The average time sedentary is starting to rise and is expected to reach 20 hours per week by 2030.
The researchers argue that there is a need to coordinate data collection and to create a centralized database and the public.
The current data, however simplified, represent a good basis for reflection on our health in the future. Inactivity is one of the factors responsible for the overweight.
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