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Sedentary lifestyle

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This article is about the medical term. For the anthropologic concept, see sedentism.
"Couch Potato" redirects here. For the game show, see Couch Potatoes (game show). For the song, see Couch Potato (song).
Increases in sedentary behaviors such as watching television are characteristic of a sedentary lifestyle
A sedentary person, or "typical couch potato"

A Sedentary lifestyle, or a couch potato is a medical term used to denote a type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity.[1] It is commonly found in both the developed and developing world. Sedentary activities include sitting, reading, watching television, playing certain video games, and computer use for much of the day with little or no vigorous physical exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to many preventable causes of death.

Health effects A lack of physical activity is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide.[2]

A sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity can contribute to or be a risk factor for:

Solutions

One response that has been adopted by many organizations concerned with health and environment is the promotion of active travel, which seeks to promote walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized transport.[14] Given that many journeys are for relatively short distances, there is considerable scope to replace car use with walking or cycling, though in many settings this may require some infrastructure modification.

Implementing Wellness Programs is becoming another popular trend among organizations. Wellness programs can be unique to each organization and can focus on a variety of objectives. For example, some organizations try to get their employees moving through exercise classes at lunch or walking challenges among co-workers. Other organizations offer a number of different screenings for employees such as cholesterol or blood pressure screenings.

According to Worksite Health Promotion with Infinite Wellness Solutions, it is essential wellness programs have specific goals that provide a specific direction for the program. [15] Goals can include keeping tracking of the number of participants who improved their fitness level or the number of participants screened.

History

The term "couch potato" was coined by underground comics artist Robert Armstrong in the 1970s, in a series of comics featuring sedentary characters.

The condition, which predates the term, is characterized by sitting or remaining inactive for most of the day with little or no exercise.

Lack of exercise causes muscle atrophy, i.e. shrinking and weakening of the muscles and accordingly increases susceptibility to physical injury. Additionally, physical fitness is correlated with immune system function[16]; a reduction in physical fitness is generally accompanied by a weakening of the immune system. A review in Nature Reviews Cardiology suggests that since illness or injury are associated with prolonged periods of enforced rest, such sedentariness has physiologically become linked to life-preserving metabolic and stress related responses such as inflammation that aid recovery during illness and injury but which due to being nonadaptive during health now lead to chronic diseases.[17]

Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, many adults and many children lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle[18][19] and are not active enough to achieve these health benefits.

In the 2008 United States American National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 36% of adults were considered inactive.[20] 59% of adult respondents never participated in vigorous physical activity lasting more than 10 minutes per week.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Prevalence of Sedentary Lifestyle". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1991. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  2. ^ Lopez AD, Mathers CD, Ezzati M, Jamison DT, Murray CJ (2006). "Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001: systematic analysis of population health data". Lancet. 367 (9524): 1747–57. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68770-9. PMID 16731270. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Physical Activity". World Health Organization. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  4. ^ "Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Daniel M. Landers. "The Influence of Exercise on Mental Health". President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Retrieved February 05, 2010. The research literature suggests that for many variables there is now ample evidence that a definite relationship exists between exercise and improved mental health. This is particularly evident in the case of a reduction of anxiety and depression. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases" (PDF). United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  7. ^ "Physical inactivity a leading cause of disease and disability, warns WHO". World Health Organization. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  8. ^ Flicker, Leon; McCaul, Kieran A.; Hankey, Graeme J.; Jamrozik, Konrad; Brown, Wendy J.; Byles, Julie E.; Almeida, Osvaldo P. (January 27, 2010). "Body Mass Index and Survival in Men and Women Aged 70 to 75". Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 58 (2). John Wiley & Sons: 234–241. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02677.x. PMID 20370857. Retrieved January 29, 2010. Being sedentary doubled the mortality risk for women across all levels of BMI but resulted in only a 28% greater risk for men
  9. ^ "Who Is At Risk for High Blood Pressure?". National Institutes of Health. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  10. ^ "Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Causes". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  11. ^ "Overweight and Obesity: What You Can Do". Office of the Surgeon General. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  12. ^ "Exercise and Bone Health". National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. 2009. Retrieved February 01, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ "Osteoporosis - Frequently Asked Questions". United States Department of Health and Human Services. 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  14. ^ "KidsWalk-to-School: Barriers and Solutions". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  15. ^ "Worksite Health Promotion". Infinite Wellness Solutions. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  16. ^ "How can I give my immune system a boost?". National Health Service. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  17. ^ Charansonney OL, Després JP. (2010). Disease prevention--should we target obesity or sedentary lifestyle? Nat Rev Cardiol. 7(8):468-72. doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2010.68 PMID 20498671
  18. ^ "Physical Activity Statistics". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  19. ^ "Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, February 2009". National Health Service. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  20. ^ a b Pleis, John R.; Lucas, Jacqueline W.; Ward, Brian W. (2008). (Document). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. p. 11. {{cite document}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |contribution-url= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |contribution= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |series= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)
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