According to a study published on July 28, 2016 in the scientific journal “The Lancet”, the cost of physical inactivity is $67.5 billion worldwide.
The study was conducted in 142 countries (93% of the world’s population). The $67.5 billion is divided between $53.8 billion in health spending and $13.7 billion in lost productivity. This assessment was established by including only 5 major pathologies related to physical inactivity: stroke, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, breast and colon cancer. It is therefore likely that the actual cost is likely to be higher. According to this study, physical inactivity is associated with 5 million deaths per year.
Still on the same topic, The Lancet published a 2nd study which shows that the increased risk of death due to sitting for 8 hours can be cancelled by practising at least 1 hour of sports/day (e. g. brisk walking at 5.6 km/h or cycling for pleasure at 16 km/h). This figure of 60 minutes/day is significantly higher than the current WHO recommendations of at least 150 minutes/week of moderate activity or 75 minutes/week of sustained activity per period of at least 10 minutes to stay in shape and to obtain additional health benefits 300 minutes/week of moderate activity or 150 minutes/week of sustained activity.
Currently only 25% of people practice one hour of sport per day. If the ideal is 1 hour/day, at least think about moving as much as possible: forget the stairs, take your bike for short trips, take the stairs, walk (at least 6,000 steps/day)….. this will have a positive impact on your health and reduce the risk.
As Jean Giraudoux (French writer and diplomat) so aptly puts it: “There are epidemics of all kinds, sport is an epidemic of health”
To meditate and above all, get your running shoes!